The Fellowship of the NazGirls
by Guardian of Tears
Summary: Chapter 14: We learn of the fate of Chanilia. R&R Please! This is an AU fic but im sure you don't care
1. Meet the Girls

Me no own The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, (Damn!) so you no sue! Okay?  
  
Not sure if this has been done before but i'm doing it now. Me and my friends (well my original characters based on me and my friends) are all grown up and have just moved into our first house together. But something is amiss.   
  
So, um, here we go!  
  
  
  
"Why do I have to do the kitchen?" Moaned Orchid Noo'dil.  
  
"Would you rather be digging up the garden?" Inquired Blaise Earthsinger, as she walked past with a bin liner full of 70's wallpaper.  
  
"No Blaise." Orchid Noo'dil told her in a monotone. "But, I hate scrubbing! There's all this dirt in-between the tiles and I have to use a knife to get it out!" She showed Blaise the kitchen utensil.  
  
"Well, you hate ants even more." Blaise told her. "And Nissa's got to deal with a hell of a lot of them out there." She jerked her head towards the spade wielding maniac out side.  
  
"A plague on all goddamn vertebrates! We need to get some poison!" Yelled Dragonissa Erelle from the garden.  
  
"NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Yelled a voice from one of the open upstairs windows. It was the fourth house mate, Freja Mjollnir. "You can't kill the poor ants! They're just trying to protect their home! And it's invertebrates. Vertebrates are animals that have backbones, such as yourself!"  
  
"I don't give a rats arse about what they're called. They're red ant's. They sting!"  
  
"Look," said Blaise, acting the peacemaker, "we'll buy some powder later on. No arguments, Freja, imagine what would happen if they got into the house and into the sugar, you'd have to have unsweeted tea in the morning. Just try to work Nissa." The girl grumbled but got on with her task and Freja went back to painting the upstairs bedroom.  
  
"Well done, Blaise." Orc Noodle Girl told her best friend.  
  
"Thanks Noodles. Odd, usually it's me who's arguing."  
  
"True, true." Noodles mused. There was a knock at the door. "I'll get it." She said, grateful to get away from picking dirt out of gaps between the tiles.  
  
She opened the door to be greeted by a tall, red haired youth. "Hiya Ron." The boy known as Ron grinned.  
  
"'Lo Noodles. Brought round the animals." He gestured to the pet carrying cases on the floor.  
  
"Hey, thanks Ron!" Ron was about two or three years younger than the new house mates, who had been in the same year at school. He was an old friend of Nissa's from when she used to do Judo. He had earned his nickname from his freckles and orange hair. While the girls had been moving their stuff into their first house Ron had agreed to look after their pets for a while. As it was high summer, most of their relations were on holiday. Also, Ron lived quite near, in one of the student houses just across the green.  
  
The four friends were fresh out of university and had decided to set up house together for the first time. It was a lovely old house, despite the decoration, which was rather, er, disco. But they were slowly fixing that. With the aid of Nissa's large, extended family (which was made up mainly of tall, dark haired young men (well, they were men most of the time). Needless to say, Blaise didn't get much work done when they were over.) (A/N: And this is very true, about my family. Lots of tall, dark, strong men. Aren't I lucky. :-P) and her grandfather, who was a carpenter, they had got the house shaped up in record time. All that need seeing to now was the master bedroom, which was being taken care by Freja and Blaise The kitchen, grudgingly done by Noodles. And the garden, seen to by Nissa, who was the only person brave enough to tackle the over grown mass of bushes, trees and grass.  
  
"Thanks for looking after them Ron." Said Nissa, covered in soil, ants and leaves. "I think the only way we're gonna get that grass under control is if we get a goat or something, it don't look like it's been cut for the last fifty years!"  
  
"That bad, huh?" Asked Ron sympathetically, as he helped the to girls bring the pets in.  
  
"Nope, it's worse." Nissa told him morosely.  
  
"Are you gonna have to cancel your housewarming party then?" Ron asked her anxiously. The girls had been planing to have a barbecue in a weeks time.  
  
"Shouldn't think so. If everyone," she shot Noodles a meaningful look, "helps, we should have the garden done up in time." They were interrupted by a scream from upstairs.  
  
"PIEWACKET!" Blaise slid down the banister and pulled out her small kitten out of it's box.  
  
Ron scoffed, "What kind of name is 'Piewacket' for a cat anyway?"  
  
"Believe me," Nissa told him with one raised eyebrow, "I've asked her that how many times."  
  
"Well, it's a lot more original that 'Moggie' or 'Tiger'." Said Freja, coming down the stairs. She went over to her boxes and said hello to her own cat, Gizmo and her two guinea pigs.  
  
"Yeah, well, it's like that 'Mrs. Kitty Fantastic' from Buffy." Nissa argued.  
  
"Well, they were two lemon witches, they were bound to have a twisted cat." Noodles told the world in general.  
  
"Oh, all right then. The damn feline's already been named so I suppose it doesn't matter. See you next Friday then."  
  
"Okay, see you then." Ron gave a mock bow and left.  
  
"Well, I suppose I'd better get back to work then," Said Nissa, while her friends unpacked the domestic wildlife. "You know, once we get that garden all cleared up, it'll look really nice. There's roses and honeysuckle and everything. I think we have a cherry tree to." And with that, Nissa headed back outside.  
  
  
  
Yes I know no Lord of the Rings action yet, so don't yell at me! We're not going to get to that until chapter four so that's why I didn't post it until I had finished chapter four. Okay. Your gonna have to read chapters three and four if you want to know what's going on, i'm afraid. So, umm, on to chapter two. 


	2. The Box

Right chapter two. So I'll just let you read. I still don't own Lord of the Rings. But I will someday, when I rule the world.  
  
Muhahahahahahahahahahahaha!  
  
Ahem.   
  
Off you go then.  
  
  
  
It had been a long day and as early evening settled in the girls were all sat outside. They were listening to Nissa's plan for the garden. "And the patio will be there," she gestured in the general direction of the future patio with her bottle of beer, "I think that rose bush will make everything smell really nice and stuff."  
  
"Sounds nice." Freja said sleepily. The overpowering perfume of summer flowers was making everyone dozy. The girls continued to talk about nothing in general until the heat caused then to drift of to sleep.  
  
When Nissa awoke about an hour had passed. She yawned and stretched. 'Damn' she thought 'it's gonna take me ages to get to sleep now'. Dragonissa Erelle was one of those individuals who could only go to sleep when they were 1) Tired 2) Drunk or 3) Concussed. So she decided to do a bit of work to tire her out. She picked up her spade and began to savagely attack a thorn bush that had been irritating her for some reason.  
  
  
Half an hour later Freja found herself being shaken awake. "What?" She asked in a tired, irritated voice. Freja hated being woken up.  
  
"Come on!" Said an urgent voice. "Get up. And help me wake the others." Freja pulled on her glasses, which were dangling off one pointed ear and the fuzzy shape turned into Nissa.  
  
"Why?" She complained.  
  
"I've found something!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'll tell you once you've woken up!"  
  
About five minutes later all of the sleepers were reluctantly awake and Nissa was dancing around with a grin on her face and her hands behind her back.  
  
"So what's this about then?" Asked Noodles.  
  
"Yeah, I was having a lovely dream about two fit actors, a master bedroom fit for a queen and me!" Blaise told the group. Freja looked disgusted.  
  
"Is that all you ever thing about!?" She asked her impish friend, appalled.  
  
"Yup!" Declared the accused with a grin on her face.  
  
"Now honestly Freja," Noodles said, "Did you really need to ask? Her mind is permanently in the gutter. It's glued there."  
  
"Um, me!" Said Nissa as she tried to get everyone's focus back on her. "Listen to me, please."  
  
"Okay, so what's the problem? Why'd ya wake us up?" Asked Freja, yawning.  
  
"Because I wanted to show you this!" And with that Nissa produced what was behind her back.  
  
"You woke us up to show us a dirt clod?" Asked Blaise, incredulously.  
  
"It's not a dirt clod!" Yelled Nissa. "It's a box!"  
  
"It looks like a dirt clod." Noodles offered.  
  
"Of course it looks like a dirt clod, it's been in the dirt, you daft prune!" Answered Nissa, sharply.  
  
"Oi!" Yelled Freja suddenly. "Prune's my word! Get your own! What's so special about this damn box anyway!?" Freja was obviously still a little cranky from having been woken up.  
  
"Why don't you use your eyes and look at what's on top of the box!" The three other girls looked and Blaise, who was almost as bad as Nissa the Weredragon when it came to identifying ways to make money, was the first to notice what had excited her draconic so much.  
  
"Bloody hell," she screamed, "look at the size of that bloody great crystal!"  
  
"What's in the box?" Said Freja quickly. Long ago Freja had, rather sensibly, come to the conclusion that, in life, it's always too good to be true. There had to be a reason that a box with a 'bloody great' crystal on it was buried in the back yard and that reason was probably not a good reason.  
  
"How do you know that it's a real crystal, and not just plastic or glass?" Asked Noodles, ignoring Freja.  
  
"What's in the box?" Freja asked again, patiently.  
  
"I should know!" Nissa told her angrily, also ignoring Freja. "I have about twenty million in my room! Okay, that was a slight exaggeration. But still, I should know a damn crystal when I see one!"  
  
"What's in the box?"  
  
"Look at the carvings in the wood," said Blaise, inspecting the storage item, "they're really intricate. And this looks like gold veining! They're not gonna do that just for some plastic or glass."  
  
"What's in the box?"  
  
"Look at how old it is." Said Noodles.  
  
"Yeah," said Blaise, "I think that we can definitely rule out plastic."  
  
"What's in the box!?" Continued Freja through gritted teeth, she was starting to get a insy bit annoyed at how she was being ignored.  
  
"Don't you get it!?" Nissa asked them, the fire of her dark eyes burning gleefully. "If we clean this up and flog it at some auction, we could make millions!"  
  
"WHAT'S IN THE GODDAMN, BLOODY BOX!?" It would be safe to say that at this point, Freja had lost her rag. You could tell this from the large spurt of flame that shot from the fire elf's fingers and incinerated a small bush.  
  
The other three jumped, then turned to look at Freja with a look of shock and fear on their faces.  
  
"Pardon?" Asked Blaise, meekly.  
  
Freja took a deep breath. "What's in the box?"  
  
"We haven't looked yet."  
  
"Then look." Freja snarled.  
  
As one the girls went 'Meep' and Nissa began to wrestle with the lid. Countless years of mud had really settled into the grove around the lid. It was stuck fast. In the end Noodles had to go and get the knife that she had been using earlier to try and pry the lid open.  
  
"Nugh! Argh! Almost. Done." Nissa and Blaise grunted as the lid slowly came free. With a loud 'Pop' the lid opened and both girls were sent flying backwards, Nissa still clutching the box.  
  
Freja slowly approached and peered into the box. She gasped.   
  
  
  
Ohh! What's in the box!? Well just read the next chapter, stupid, and you'll find out!  
  
Honestly! 


	3. Four Rings

Still here? Well done. Now I'll let you know what's in the box. The next chapters LotR so you might as well read this one then.   
  
Nope, still don't own Lord of the Rings (Damn). And i'm not making any money for this (Double Damn).   
  
Hey! Why am I bothering to write a bloody disclaimer!? I haven't even started on the Middle-Earth bit yet!  
  
  
  
"What!" Yelled Noodles. "What's in the box?" The three other girls crowded round the box. The inside of the box was lined with a velvety material and laying on the material were four rings. One was made of a silvery metal with a large crystal in it that looked like a star. Another was also silver with a ruby. The third was gold and had an emerald and the last was silver with a sapphire.  
  
Nissa, who was holding the box, reached into it and took out the ring with the star crystal. She held it up to the light. Despite being underground for an exceedingly long time it was still shiny, the metal gleamed and the jewel shone, there wasn't a single fault or chip in the stone. It was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen.  
  
Blaise, Noodles and even cautious Freja were all doing likewise. It was rather odd how they had all picked up a different ring. Blaise had the emerald, Noodles had the sapphire and Freja had the ruby. It didn't enter their minds to wonder why four beautiful and seemingly expensive rings were in a box in their back gardens.  
  
"Wow." Breathed Nissa at last, winning the understatement of the day award in the process.  
  
"Pretty." Said Noodles, entranced.  
  
"Beautiful." This was Freja.  
  
Blaise for once in her life was speechless. Nissa slipped the ring onto the middle finger of her right hand. It was a perfect fit. Then Freja came to herself and began to 'rain on the other girls parade'.  
  
"We need to go to the police." This snapped the three others out of their trance.  
  
"Why!?" The all snapped at her.  
  
Freja took a little jump backwards, she didn't like being shouted at. "B-b-because they aren't ours."  
  
"Haven't you ever heard of 'Finders Keepers'?" Demanded Nissa.  
  
"Yes but still. . ." Freja trailed off, unable to think of anything convincing to say.  
  
"Actually, the law states that you hand something into the police and if it isn't claimed after a certain amount of time it legally becomes yours." Said Noodles.  
  
"How the hell did you know that!?" Blaise inquired, awe-struck. This intelligent revelation from Orchid Noo'dil threatened to destroy the foundation of logic in the universe.  
  
"I read it in a book once." Orc Noodle girl told them smugly.  
  
The silence with smothering. "I didn't know you could read." Murmured Blaise. Noodles looked confused.  
  
"Oh yeah, I can't."  
  
The other girls sighed and shook their heads, sometimes with Noodles it was better to just smile and go along with it. "Well," said Nissa thoughtfully, "since they've been underground so long that no one can probably claim ownership and-" she yawned loudly.  
  
"Look it's late," Blaise said, the half moon was climbing up the sky and most of the stars were out. The sun had set hours ago. "We should decide what to do in the morning." The girls all agreed and went inside, taking the box, and the rings, with them.  
  
  
Yay! Now we can finally get on to LotR! I know this chapter was a little crappy but, to be honest, I want to see some LotR action as much as the rest of you. Right, off to chapter four we go then! Wahoo! 


	4. Heart Sisters

YAY! We're finally onto LotR stuff! I know you've been waiting a while for this so I'll just let you get on and read.  
  
Don't Own LotR, the Tolkein Estate dose. I do own this story, I own Nissa and Lyncorath. My friends (Freja, Blaise, Noodles & Ron) all own themselves. I'm not sure if I own Chanilia, Arian, Silvawen or Isauriel. But that doesn't mean that you can go and use them without permission. So Ner!  
  
  
  
When Nissa went to bed that night, still wearing the ring that she had found in the box she had an odd dream, well, odder than usual, I mean. . .   
  
  
She sat on a horse, on a small hill that over looked an open, green country. It was early evening and the starts of Elbereth were shining overhead. She looked and saw what she had been waiting for. A grey figure riding a brown horse.  
  
"Gandalf!" She called to him. He slowed at the sound of her voice. "Gandalf!" She called again, and spurred her own horse to meet him. "Gandalf the Grey! Wait a moment!"  
  
"Who rides there!?" The aged wizard demanded. Even from a distance she could she him lay his hand on his sword. If she was a threat, he would be ready.  
  
"It is I, Lyncorath!" The wizard instantly relaxed.  
  
"Rath! What are you doing here!?" He questioned. Lyncorath drew level with him and halted her horse. Even when weary with riding, Lyncorath was an impressive figure.   
  
Tall, strait-backed and proud, she rode man style on a white horse with a red tail and mane. Her hair was a long, flowing torrent of silvergold and she had the piercing gaze of an eagle in her arctic green eyes. Her attire was like that of the rangers of the north, black with silver and white trimmings. However, rather than bearing the symbol of the white tree, the symbol of the royal line of Gondor, she wore three stars set between the rayed sun and crescent moon.   
  
On her back was a great double headed battle axe and at her waist was a small mace and a stone knife. She looked no older that twenty one winters but she appeared older and seemed to glow with and elven light. She certainly lived up to her namesake, Veiled Light.  
  
As Gandalf looked into his friends face he felt suspicion grow in his heart. Rath was of a witty, dry nature, quick to anger but quicker to laugh. The normal half smile on her face, which made the onlooker think that their sleeves were dragging in the mud or that they had forgotten to comb their hair when they awoke, was gone and she looked grave and sad.  
  
"Lyncorath," he rarely addressed her by her full name, "what ails you?"  
  
"I have received evil news Gandalf." She told him softly, with pain filled eyes.  
  
Gandalf felt his heart sink at those words. "What news Rath?" He squeezed her shoulder in a almost fatherly fashion.  
  
"That one week ago Chanilia, my heart sister, was taken- she was taken by Orcs- Gandalf they took her to Mordor!" This broke through the warriors control and she wept into her horse's neck. "They took her to Mordor! They took her to the shadowed land! Oh my poor, poor Nilia! She's not a warrior, a healer! She's a healer, Gandalf!" Lyncorath was on the verge of hysterics. "A healer! What will they do to her!? Sweet soul! And what am I to do!? What do I do Olorin!?"  
  
"Hush!" Gandalf shushed her quickly, it would do her and him no good to blurt out his Maiar name. But Gandalf felt his heart chill at her words. Chanilia taken, taken by Orcs, to Mordor. His heart warned him, was this a coincidence? Did the taking of Nilia have anything to do with what he had just learnt, with events taking part in the Shire.  
  
"Rath?" He asked the weeping warrior. "How did you know where to find me?"  
  
"Radagast the Brown told me that you were riding to Isengard. So came here to intercept you. To ask your advice." Good, she was composing herself.  
  
"What were your plans then?"  
  
"To ride to Rivendell, where my heart sister Arian dwells. Elrond Halfelven has called a council and the elves of Mirkwood have sent Prince Legolas Greenleaf and their embassy. Heart sister Silvawen will accompany him. Together we three would ride to the east of the Misty Mountains were the last heart sister Isauriel, dwells with the great eagles. Then together, we four would journey to the Shadowed Land," she griped the reigns of her horse tightly, "and rescue our sister."  
  
"Then it was wise that you came to me first." Gandalf reposed her. "For non, not even you, Lyncorath, and your sisters, could stand against the might of Sauron and his army. But I fear that the capture of Nilia at this time was no unfortunate accident."  
  
An expression of suspicion crossed Lyncorath's face. "What do you mean 'no unfortunate accident'?" She hissed.  
  
"Lyncorath, I must ride with great haste to Isengard. I do not have time to tell you all. However if you are going to Rivendell, would you mind taking a detour?"  
  
"Yes, but only if you tell me what on Middle-Earth is going on."  
  
"First, I want you to find Aragorn, he is wandering in the northern wilderness'. The I want you and him to go to the village of Bree where you will meet two friends of mine, hobbits. Then I want you and Aragorn to guide them to Rivendell, for I fear that they are in great danger."  
  
"Why must I aid a couple of Halflings, and what danger are they in? I hope it is nothing as trivial as an unpaid debt." A wry smile crossed her face.  
  
Gandalf did not return the smile. "No, Lyncorath, I fear before long the servants of the Dark Lord will be after this pair like hounds on the sent."  
  
"What would Sauron want with Halflings?"  
  
"Do you recall Bilbo?"  
  
"The Hobbit who went on the quest for Smaug's treasure? And was present at the battle of the Five Armies? How could I forget. I was their Gandalf. Remember? It was I who slew the great Warg Chieftain of the North." A smile came to her face as she recalled the small figure. "He is staying with the Elves at the moment, isn't he? At Rivendell. You'd have to ask Arian, she is the one staying there."  
  
"Do you recall the ring that he found?"  
  
"The ring that belonged to that Gollum creature? Yes, it granted it's keeper the power of invisibility."  
  
"That is not the least of it's powers."  
  
"What do you mean!?"  
  
"Bilbo gave the ring to his nephew and heir, Frodo, when he left the Shire. He is one of the Hobbits who you must seek. And the ring that he carries is the One Ring of Sauron, the Lord of the Rings."  
  
"Ai!" The warrior screamed. Her horse reared and she turned to stare at the east. "Is this true!? How do you know!?"  
  
"I have seen the fiery letters out side and in. And that is why you must seek him and protect him. You and Aragorn."  
  
"So it was no chance that Nilia was taken." She muttered. "And so it will come to pass," she turned and looked east once again, towards the white city of Gondor. "The One has been found. The sword will be re-forged! The king shall return! And our labours shall soon be ended!" Her voice had risen as she said this, but it became soft again as she finished. "And all will soon come to an end, for good or ill." She looked back at Gandalf. "Yes I will do what you have asked. I will ride north at once."  
  
"Yes, I shall continue to Isengard. And I shall meet you in Rivendell." Lyncorath turned to ride north. But then stopped.  
  
"But Gandalf. There are many Halflings in Bree. How am I to know they?"  
  
"Their names are Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, most often called Sam. Frodo is the Ring-bearer, and if he has any sense, he will not go by his true name. They are both from Hobbiton, in the Shire. Sam is a gardener with dirty yellow hair and cornflower blue eyes. Frodo is pale with hair black as a ravens wing and ice blue eyes as brilliant as your own. Believe me, you will know it is he when you see him."  
  
"Yes, thank you Gandalf. I will ride to Aragorn at once and tell him of the news. And we will meet you in Rivendell." She spurred her horse and galloped northward. "Fare You Well, Gandalf!" She cried as she left him.  
  
  
There! What did you think of that? If you want more please don't hesitate to review. *Grins, bows and holds out her hat for the readers to toss reviews in* 


	5. Moonlit Encounter

And here's chapter five for all of you, not a long one, but I hope you'll enjoy it. A few clever people might make some connections ;-) but don't go spoiling the story for the rest of them. I don't own anything. All I do own is Rath, her horse, 23 bracelets and a copy of Fit Men R Us: The Lord of the Rings Edition. ^_^ lol.  
  
  
  
The journey north was a long one, and Lyncorath knew that she would waste time in looking for Aragorn. For Rangers are hard to find in the wideness, even for one such as herself. It was truly dark now and she could travel no further tonight. She dismounted her horse and made camp.  
  
She sat near the fire she had made in a little hollow near the road, she was not afraid of any orcs or men who would be wandering in these parts, she would be more that a match for any of them. Her horse was grazing nearby.  
  
"Do not stray to far, Kathred." She told the mare, and settled down for the night.  
  
  
A few hours later she awoke, and felt the icy fingers of dread begin the creep up her spine towards her heart. The fire had gone out and cold embers were all that remained. The full moon had risen to his highest point and lit the plains with a slivery blue light. She took some small comfort in the light of the stars, high in the night sky, as they reminded Rath of her true home. However, in the east she could see one star that she did not like nor trust, low in the sky, blood red, glowing ominously.  
  
"Kathred!" She hissed, and felt reassurance in the horse's hot, if slightly stale breath on her neck. The mare whinnied softly in fear and Rath patted her nose and slowly rose to her feet. She let her mind spread out and discover the source of this disturbance. Something terrible and yet familiar. She had felt something like this before, years and years ago, when she had gone with the White Counsel to Dol Gulder to try and drive out the evil forces in Mirkwood, right before the Battle of the Five Armies. And what had been found there. . .  
  
"Oh no!" Rath said in a low moan. "Not, not Them!?" She hurriedly packed up her blanket and swung her saddle and packs onto Kathred's back. She clambered onto the mares back and turned to flee northwards when dark shapes materialised out of the gloom.  
  
"Oh, Eru help me!" She prayed. Gandalf had been right, the hobbit Frodo was in real danger. The Nazgul had arisen once again, and she was no match for them, for she was far from all aid. She ran.  
  
With a dreadful cry the Ringwraiths spurred their horses and gave chase. The hunt was on. Over the moonlit plains the rode, the black steeds of the hunters and the pure white of the prey's. Rath's pursuers would sometimes nearly catch her up only for the white Kathred to dart ahead. For hours they seemed to gallop, Rath's head lowered down near the horse's neck, concentrating on the landscape ahead, trying to ignore the voices of the fell ones, telling her she was beyond all hope, that it was pointless to resist. That they would take her back to Mordor, that she would see her sister again, if she would let them take her to Mordor.  
  
She crouched in her saddle, she could see that Kathred was becoming tired, she could run no longer. She would have to face her pursuers and try and try to drive them off. She sat up and pulled Kathred's reigns, hard, to the right. Heading towards a small outcropping of rocks, where she could make her stand. As she turned she held her arm out, palm facing towards the Riders, and hissed a stream of elvish incantations. A blast of sorcerous flame shot towards the Riders and they hissed and dived out of the way. Rath hadn't expected it to do any damage, but it had served as a distraction.  
  
She reached the outcropping and turned to face the Riders. Silently they approached. Facing her enemy alone, sitting on a white horse, Lyncorath looked like some legendary elf shield-maiden out of the elder days. In truth, this was almost true.  
  
"Listen to me, slaves of Sauron! I am Lyncorath, Veiled Light! Servant of Varda! She who you fear, Elbereth the star queen! Begon, lest the light be uncovered, for I am not under the dominion of you or your foul master, and never will be!"  
  
The Wraiths response was only laughter, and their leader began to approach.  
  
"Thou canst say I have not given thee fair warning, Dark Ones." She told them, her voice changing and growing deeper. The Morgul Lord halted at this sudden change.  
  
"Give us what we will and we shall trouble you no more, Veiled One." He hissed.  
  
Lyncorath raised her hand above her head and a light issued forth from a ring about her finger, illuminating her, and the Veil was lifted in her wrath. "Thou shalt never have it!" She screamed. "Neither mine nor the One you seek." And in an ancient tongue, older even that the elves she screamed:  
  
"By the light of Laurelin I halt thee! By the light of Telperion I bind thee! And by the light Iluvatar I banish thee!"  
  
A blinding light issued from her ring and the Wraiths screamed and fled into the darkness. Lyncorath let her hand fall and the light faded and she was once more a young woman who seemed tired and sad as she sat alone in the night.  
  
"An impressive display," new voice addressed her from above, "but it will not be long before they return."  
  
Rath looked about her, sharp eyes peering into the gloom. 'What now?' She thought to herself.  
  
"I suggest that you tell me what's going on, Rath, before you go on." A figure swung off the small ledge above and landed right in front of her. Rath's face lit up.  
  
"Estel!"  
  
  
  
Any good? Was it to your liking? Well review and tell me then! 


	6. Everyones talking down to me! Not fair!

Don't own anything except for the stuff I own.   
  
Ohhh! Forgot last time! To my lovely reviewers:  
  
Chrissie, Elfie & Noodles ~ Hope you guys don't mind me doin all of you at once but I just want to say that you're great! All of you! And thanks for the funny & sweet reviews. And, you know, non of this would be possible with out you! ^_____________^ And now that I've updated Elfie will you please just LEAVE ME ALONE, YOU INPATIENT GIRL! I'M WRITING AS FAST AS I CAN!  
  
Starbrat & SonKalia ~ Thank you very much! ^______^  
  
I got the exact quotes from the movie from http://www.geocities.com/seatofkings/  
  
  
  
"Estel! Estel! ARAGORN! Will you wait a moment!"  
  
The dark clothed Ranger sighed and turned to the woman who was struggling with her horse. "Can you at least attempt to get you beast moving Rath?" He asked in an irritated tone.  
  
"Milord Aragorn, son of Arathorn, you know very well that no one can get a horse through the Midgewater Marshes. Not even the future son-in-law of Elrond Halfelven." Lyncorath told him peevishly. "I'll have to send her back to Rivendell, give me a moment to unpack my goods."   
  
She sighed and patted her horse on the neck. "He's so inpatient Kathred. Well, I suppose I can't blame him. His destiny is racing to meet him in the south." She sighed and finished packing he belongings into her pack. Rath was a light traveller needing only a spare change of clothes, her blanket, food and her weapons. She began to do a mental checklist  
  
'Lets see I have Angabrac (this was the name of her mighty battle axe, it meant Shadow Bane), my mace, knife, food, blanket, clothes, Te-'  
  
"Rath! Hurry up! We must get to Bree before nightfall! The Wraiths are bound to be on the Hobbit's trail!"  
  
"Ohh. . ." Rath muttered some incoherent curses as she swung her pack onto her back. She then turned to Kathred. "Make your way speedily to Rivendell, old friend, where we shall meet again soon. Arain will take care of you." She gave Kathred a final pat and the horse trotted away, taking it's mistresses unpacked belonging with it.  
  
Rath sighed and turned to follow Aragorn through the quagmire.  
  
  
When the Ranger and the Wanderer arrived in Bree it was raining. Aragorn strode up to the gateway and knocked loudly.  
  
"Whose there!?" Came an old voice, the gatekeepers.  
  
"Strider the Ranger and Rath the Wanderer!"  
  
The gate swung open. "What may you two be wantin?"  
  
"We want to go to the inn." Aragorn, or Strider as we must now call him, told the old gatekeeper.  
  
"Yes, we wish to partake in some of your villages famous hospitality." Rath said sarcastically. "Also, we would like to dry off before we catch our deaths."  
  
"No need to be like that miss." He said as he opened the gate and stepped back to let them in.  
  
'Huh! Miss.' Thought Rath as she followed Strider through the muddy streets of Bree. 'I am an eternity older that he is. Long after he is gone I will still be here.' She added snottily. Lyncorath was a being like Gandalf and was ageless.  
  
They came to the famous inn and stood outside it, under the sign.  
  
"Rath, I want you to scout around Bree, see if you can find these Hobbits. And see if the Ringwraiths are near. Then I want you to come back and report to me at the inn."  
  
Rath was about to say something about how Aragorn could not give orders to her like that but then decided against it when she saw the grim determination on the Rangers face. She muttered something inaudible and stalked off into the rain.  
  
"By the Valar! Who dose he think he is? He's not king yet! Rangers: Humph!" She muttered to herself as she made her way to the wooden wall that surrounded the village. Rath was somewhat out of humour, for she did not like the rain, especially since she knew that she could be inside a warm inn next to a roaring fire with a mug of ale and a haunch of beef.  
  
As she passed the town gate she saw that the small doorway in the gate was open and heard a young voice saying:   
  
"We wish to stay at the inn. Our business is our own."  
  
"Alright, young sir, I meant no offence." The Gatekeeper told the visitors. "It's my job to ask questions after nightfall. There's talk of strange folk abroad. Can't be too careful."  
  
Rath quickly ducked down an ally and watched the travellers walk down the road to the inn. 'They can't be the Halflings Gandalf told me about,' she thought, 'there's four of them.' Then the lead Hobbit turned his head suddenly and Rath saw two robin egg blue eyes peering in her direction, she swiftly melded into the shadows, their was no mistaking that look in those eyes, the sense of innocence tainted with worry, that boy was a Ringbearer.  
  
  
"Leaving so soon?" The Gatekeeper asked Rath as she approached him.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous man! I just want to know about those Halflings you just let in."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. Tell me, do you know where they came from?"  
  
"Well they didn't say miss, but the lad I talked to had a Hobbiton accent."  
  
"So he's the one." Rath muttered to herself.  
  
"Miss?"  
  
"Humm. Pardon?"  
  
"Will their be anything else you'll be wantin?"  
  
"Ohh, yes! Open the gate for a moment, I must go out for a while. I won't be gone long, and I will return shortly."  
  
  
"You have a stout heart little Hobbit." Strider told Sam as he sheathed his sword. "But that will not save you."  
  
"ESTEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!" Came a yell from outside.  
  
"Damn the girl!" Strider muttered to himself. "I said she had to call me Strider."  
  
"Whose that?" Asked the Hobbits as one.  
  
"A friend, it was she who told me about you and your 'business' Frodo, and she was told by Gandalf."  
  
"Who is she?" Asked Sam, narrowing his eyes at the door.  
  
"Around these parts she is known as 'Rath the Wanderer'. The people of Bree don't trust her anymore that they do me, saying that she is a Sorceress, which is not far from the truth."  
  
There was the sound of feet, a lot of them, running towards the room. "Whatever you do, don't try any of your Hobbit cheek on her, for she is out of temper and you do not want Rath as your enemy."  
  
The door burst open and the tallest woman any of the Hobbits had ever seen came in. She wore black like Strider and trousers, which the Hobbits had never seen before, at least on a woman. At her waist was a large stone knife. She was closely followed by Butterbur, the Landlord.  
  
"I don't know what you think your doin missy." He told her. "But you can't just come burstin into people's private- What the?" He had spotted Strider. "What are you doin in here?"  
  
"Quiet man!" The woman called Rath barked, fiercely. The then turned to Frodo. "Stupid boy!" She hissed at him. "Why did you have to put it on!?"  
  
"Wha? How did you know about that?" But she had turned to Strider.  
  
"Est-Ara-Strider! They felt it, when he put it on! There coming for it! Right now"  
  
"By the Valar." Muttered Strider. "You can no longer wait for the wizard, Frodo." He turned to address the Hobbit. "They're coming."  
  
  
It was at this point that Nissa feel out of her bed with a loud 'BANG' and a cry of "BUGGERIT!"  
  
  
*sigh* Yes we have come to the end of my dream, but don't worry *winks* we still have the other girls to do. Next up, Silvawen, Lady of Mirkwood! *grins* As ever, please leave me lots of nice reviews to tell me what you think of this fic. Flamers will be skinned and then dipped in salt! 


	7. The Good Stuff

I don't own Legolas, *snaps fingers, "Erudamnit!"* Mirkwood or Middle Earth. I do however, own Silvawen, who is also partially owned by Elf Crumpet.  
  
I would also like to publicly wish my mate Freja a very happy birthday. She will be sweet sixteen on the 3rd of September. Happy birthday, sweetie. Hope you have lots of fun (and presents) because your my best mate ever! (Elfie, Noodles, Chrissie, Ron, Fish Boy, Tank, Lanky and all the rest of ya, don't forget that your my mates. You'll have to put up with me for the rest of your lives. Muhahahahahahahahahahaha! )  
  
Anyway, enough of the mushy stuff, i'm sure that all of you (Elfie in particular ^_^) want to read the next chapter so I'll just leave you in peace.  
  
  
  
  
While Dragonissa dreamed of Wizards, Rangers and Ringwraiths, her house mate Blaise was also dreaming. . .  
  
  
She awoke under a warm blanket, with her head on a soft pillow. She yawned and stretched. The room seemed to be almost a cave, the walls made of grey stone, but most of the rock was hidden by the silver and green drapes on every wall. Golden sunlight streamed into the room from a large window hewn into the very rock it's self. She sighed and slowly rose out of bed, she was wearing a silver nightdress with green ivy leaves embodied on it. The bed was large, king sized. 'Or perhaps the term "prince sized" might be more appropriate,' she thought to herself, a smile upon her face.  
  
She looked around the room, but he was not there. She sighed and went to the dressing table, from the mirror a face looked out, long light brown hair framed a slim face with a delicate nose and a soft mouth. Large forest green eyes gazed out from beneath thin eyebrows. The young woman smiled at her reflection, took up a wooded comb and began to brush her hair. When she was done she went to the wardrobe to put some clothes on. As she opened the door she heard a voice.  
  
"Silvawen?"  
  
"I am awake, Legolas." She told him without looking.  
  
Legolas opened the door and walked in. Silvawn's eyes glanced over the elven prince. Tall and lean with eyes like blue stars and soft gold hair, braided and held back in the style of the Silvan Elves. He was clothed in simple green but they seemed to enhance his slender yet strong figure.  
  
Silvawen walked over to him. "Where did you go?" She asked in a soft, sweet voice.  
  
Legolas sighed. "Father summoned me in the early hours." He told her. "We have received word that Elrond has called a great council at Rivendell. He wants me to be the Mirkwood ambassador. Lyncorath the Wanderer has also been bidden by Mithrandir to attend, and-"  
  
"You're going to Rivendell, Rath too? That's wonderful." Silvawen said quickly. When she was excited, Silvawen had a tendency to babble on without thinking. "And Arian lives in Rivendell, I haven't seen her in years. Give her my love, Rath too, when you see them. Ooh, but I wish you did not have to go. I shall miss you and-"  
  
"Silva." Legolas said sternly, but with a smile on his face. "Will you please remain quiet for a moment and let me finish." Silva blushed and became quiet. "That's better." Legolas told her.  
  
"I won't need to tend them your greeting as you can do so yourself. And you have no need to miss me," Legolas chuckled at the look of glee spreading across Silva's face, "because you are coming with me."  
  
"Really? Legolas, that's wonderful!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. She felt Legolas' smile under her lips as her wrapped his arms around her waist and returned the kiss. When they broke apart Silva was grinning. "When do we leave?" She asked breathlessly.  
  
"Tomorrow."  
  
"Tomorrow!? Oh my- why didn't anyone say!? I have to do all the packing and get provision and see to the horses and-"  
  
"Don't be silly Silva." Legolas told her, encircling her waist with his arms. "You're an Istari and I am the Prince of Mirkwood. You need not worry about packing, we have servants to do that. Besides," his voice grew husky, "I have other things in mind." He swept her off her feet and carried her to the bed. Silva giggled.  
  
"Oh, you do, do you?" He placed her gently onto the bed, she rolled over on to her front to look at him, chin in hand. "Are you sure that this is a good idea?" She asked him with a large grin on her face, as he lay down on the bed next to her. "After all, we'll have to be well rested for the journey."  
  
"Oh, I'll make sure that you are well rested. In fact, I think I will stay here all day with you to make sure you do rest." He smiled and pulled her on top of him. "By the way, father also asked if we could attempt to be quiet, apparently we kept up half the mountain last night."  
  
Silva smiled at her elven lover. "I'm sure that we can try." She laughed and lent down to kiss him.....  
  
  
A loud BANG! Followed by a yelp of "BUGGERIT!" Awoke Blaise from her extremely enjoyable dream, and she was not pleased about it.  
  
"Damnit!" She hissed. "Damn Dragonissa's fallen out of her damn bed again! That's the seventh bloody time this week, and it's only Tuesday! Best bloody dream I've had in ages! Bloody girl woke me up just when it was starting to get to the good stuff! Damn her!"   
  
Blaise swiftly got out of bed and went to Nissa's room (which was right next to hers) to yell at her house mate.  
  
  
  
  
I warn you, don't say Mary-Sue! This is NOT a Mary-Sue. The definition of a Mary-Sue is an original, fictitious character falling in love with a character from the original subject of the fanfic. Silva isn't a Mary-Sue because 1) She has not met Legolas in the fanfic, she had meet him before the fanfic and they are already an item. 2) She is not exactly a fictitious character, say no more.   
  
Many, many, many thanks to everyone who reviewed. Be warned that my return to school (Yah! Boo! Hiss!) will slow down the production line. So be patient please (especially you Elfie!)  
  
By the way, better make this formal. Elfie has my full consent to write as many little sordid ficlets about Leggy and Silva as her filthy mind can come up with. (Ya know I love ya really Elfie ^_^ In a friends way!) Anyone else had to ask my permission first.  
  
Please feel free to leave me lots of lovely review to read when I come back from a long, hard day at school. 


	8. Blaise and Nissa's Reading Choice

*sigh* One more ordinary chapter. *thinks for a moment* Well, when it's Nissa and Blaise. . . A Weredragon and a half Imp, half Siren person. Not ordinary. I'll stick review responses at the bottom. In this chapter we will hopefully have some funny *crosses fingers* please review and tell me if it's funny.  
  
  
  
  
It was three o'clock in the morning and Dragonissa had just fallen out of bed. Again.  
  
Nissa sat rather bemused on her bedroom floor. Her shoulder length hair was tangled and messy, her eyes still puffy with sleep. She scratched her head in a distracted sort of way. 'Humm, I seem to be on the floor, how odd.' She thought. Nissa was defiantly not a morning person. (A/N: She obviously takes after her creator. Lol. ^_^)  
  
She was still trying to remember why she was on the floor when Blaise stormed in.  
  
"You!" She hissed.  
  
"Awhuhgug?" (Translation ~ I have always been me. What may I assist you with?)  
  
"Why must you always, ALWAYS fall out of bed right at the good bit!"  
  
"Abughummnehemp." (~ I do not understand. You will have to clarify your meaning.)  
  
"I was having a really, Really good dream, and you just had to fall out of bed and spoil it!"  
  
"Awha?" Asked Nissa, who was finally starting to sound legible.  
  
"I was having one of my dreams, and then you fell out of bed!" She explained in a soft snarl, she was more than a little annoyed at her house mate.  
  
"Ooooowoooooh." Nissa yawned. "Sorry." She apologised sleepily.  
  
"Yeah, well, why are you always doin that!?" Blaise continued.   
  
Nissa shrugged.  
  
"I mean," continued Blaise, "I haven't had as much fun since Freja made me burn all of my. . .books." Blaise's pride and joy had been her rather large collection of 'dodgy' books. Come on, you know what sort of books I mean.  
  
Yeah, 'those' books.  
  
Anyway, when Freja had discovered them she had been horrified, as one would expect from Freja, and had made Blaise burn them. Nissa had pointed out that Freja was acting like the puritan witch hunters of the sixteenth century. Freja had then said that they were all practising Christians and that they shouldn't be reading 'that sort of thing'. Nissa then pointed out that she was a Weredragon and no longer believed in Christian doctrine and followed the Draconic Gods. Freja stated that Nissa's grandfather, a very important general and her grandmother, a Draconic high priestess would not approve of such reading material. At that point Blaise told Freja to 'get stuffed', Freja slapped her. The ensuring cat fight had drawn many spectators and Nissa, seeing a 'get rich quick' opportunity, had started to sell outrageously priced tickets, the citizens of Andomen, the world were the girls lived, liking a good fight as much as the next person.  
  
However, when Blaise and Freja realised this they both yelled at Nissa and went inside, leaving Nissa to deal with a lot of rather dissatisfied customers, which she had dealt with in the traditional Dragonissa. Run like the buggery with all the cash.  
  
Whoops, got a little distracted there. Anyway, back to the present day.  
  
"Books?" Asked Nissa.  
  
"Yeah books."  
  
"A- Ooh. Those books." Dragonissa finally caught up with the rest of the world. But a new thought had come to Blaise.  
  
"Can I borrow one of yours?"  
  
The Weredragon narrowed her eyes. "One of my what?"  
  
"Books."  
  
"I don't have any books!" She said quickly.  
  
"Yes you do! I've seen them!"  
  
"What were you doing in my room!"  
  
"So you admit it!"  
  
"No-I-Umm-DAMN YOU!"  
  
"YOU WOKE ME UP FROM THE DREAM!"  
  
"YOU'VE BEEN SNEAKING ROUND MY ROOM!"  
  
"YOU WEREN'T HERE TO ASK!"  
  
"Ohhhhhhhhhh, all right then!"  
  
Nissa stretched on arm under her bed and began to route around under her bed. Muttering inaudible obscenities she drew out a rather large cardboard box, nearly over flowing with 'those' books.  
  
(A/N: We really are a pair of pervs, aren't we?)  
  
"Just make sure that Freja doesn't see it. Which one do you want?"  
  
"Have you got 'Burning Whiplash'?" (A/N: Ewwwwwwwwwwww!)  
  
"No."  
  
"What about 'Stiff Heat'?" (A/N: Ick! We're making these up as we go along, you know.)  
  
"Fraid not."  
  
"You haven't lived!"  
  
"Nope, not got that one either."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Guardian checked a little list taped to the box. "Sorry."  
  
"I'm gonna hit you in a minute!"  
  
Dragonissa look confused. "That was one of yours wasn't it?"  
  
Elfie sputtered. "I know, but, I wasn't talking about the books!"  
  
"Ooh, you know, you really need to make yourself clearer."  
  
"Ooh. You want me to make it clearer, do you? This clear enough for you?" 'WHACK!!!'  
  
There was a few moments of silence, then, "Owwwwwwwww. This really isn't the right way to go about getting me to lend you something, you know."  
  
"Ohh, sorry. Umm, umm, 'The Inferno'?"  
  
"Yes!" Nissa tossed a very well read book to Blaise. So well read that it was practically falling apart. The book had practically no spine and quite a few lose pages.  
  
"Bloody hell." That was a compliment from Blaise. Nissa beamed at her.  
  
"Why thank you. It is good. And I want it back, mind you!" Blaise noticed an odd glint in her friends eye that she hadn't noticed before. She had seen her friend in her 'scary, scaly dragon lady mode, but something was different, something that hadn't been their before.  
  
"Umm, right, err, see you in the morning, then."  
  
"It is morning."  
  
"Umm, right, err, thanks then." Blaise left.  
  
"Well," commented Dragonissa to herself, "that was strange. What was up with her? Oh well." She took another extremely well read book from the box entitled 'On the Shop Floor' and went back to bed to try and get some sleep.  
  
  
  
  
What did you all think of that. Elfie and Noodle helped me with all the chapter, especially with book titles and stuff. And now: REVIEWS!  
  
  
Åsa ~ Hehehehe, glad you like Rath. I'm told by a lot of people that she's cool. So I guess it must be true. *giggles*  
  
Rayvin813 ~ Awww, thanks. *blushes*  
  
Chrissie ~ Skools goin as well as can be expected i.e. Crap! And i'm gonna do a chap with Nilia soon, hopefully. *crosses fingers*  
  
Tafi ~ Where to begin. Umm, with the first review might be a good start. There is absolutely nothing dirty about Orc Noodle Girl. Not until I spoke to Elfie by the way. She's here with me right now.  
  
Elfie: Hiiiiiiiiii!  
  
GoT: And Noo (Hehehehe) is here to.  
  
Noo: Hi?  
  
GoT: You can call me Ian if you want. I DON'T CARE! Well, so long as people don't think i'm a man. Shut up Elfie!!!!!!!!!!!! :-p  
  
Noo: What?  
  
GoT: Ja? Umm, actually her name is pronounced as Fre-ya. The J is pronounced as a Y. She says it's Nordic. I say she's weird.  
  
Tea? Yes, Tea. Not iced tea. Tea as in hot. As in, Tea that we Brits are famous for. The stuff with milk in. Unless you like it black, then you don't have milk, but most people do............ 0_o Err, shutting up right now. Then again I cant shut up coz I need to answer your reviews.   
  
You weren't offending me, you were just creeping me out.   
  
No, i'm about three inches taller than you and I've got browny-blonde hair. It's just the Haydocks that have black hair. Not that you know who they are, but bear with me.  
  
I have two pet guinea pigs, but you shouldn't be scared of them, they're cowards. Aren't you boys?  
  
Guinea Pigs: *scream and run into their box*  
  
Got: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!  
  
Elfie: Shut up.  
  
Umm, i'm sure I don't know any of those people, but I'll try. (My sister, Rhianna, says hi......... Freak)  
  
WOW! Elfie just told me that we have the same confirmation name! WOW! Cool! Anyway...  
  
You have a thing for Germany don't you? I doing about Germany in History.  
  
Whore-hey? Poor boy.  
  
You like chocolate too don't you?  
  
We've decided to call it the prune epidemic. Don't ask why, it was Elfie's idea, so of course it doesn't make sense.  
  
I prefer Belgian chocolate! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...................  
  
Elfie - speechless would never happen in real life.  
  
Elfie: Hey!  
  
GoT: What? It wouldn't.  
  
Elfie: Nyah, fair enough.  
  
Err... Hope you liked your onion ring. O_o.  
  
Brits are weird? Well, so are you! Mohawk, jelly, sidewalk, trash can, highway? ODD!!!!!  
  
Right... Guess the laws are different in America then? But HA! We get to do stuff before you! Well, legally that is.  
  
Elfie does hobbit dancing, usually on tables in the form room, before school. And she does Gandalf dancing. FUNNY!  
  
Rath? Wrath? I tink dats da general idea, deary.  
  
Elfie: Why are you suddenly doing an Irish accent?  
  
GoT: Because I can!  
  
Elfie: Riiiiiiiight, where's Noo got to?  
  
Noo: I'M PAINTING!  
  
GoT & Elfie: *look at each other* Odd.  
  
Noo: I'm not odd!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
GoT: Oh, go talk to some moths!  
  
Sivergold? Um, kinda like when light is reflected off water and its not silver but its not gold either, its silvergold. Does that make sense? Probably not.  
  
Spiffy? Awha?  
  
Er, typos, er, right. Yeah........  
  
Right, that wasn't the way it was supposed to come out. I betta go and change that. Rath & Gandalf? EWWWWWWWWW!  
  
Of course she knows his real name, they're mates! She knew him back in the Undying Lands.  
  
What is she? I think you've already guessed that. She's an Istari.   
  
The heart sister thing. Right, well its basically what it says. Sisters of the heart. They aren't biologically sisters, but they're so close they're practically sisters. Nothing dodgy going on before anyone says anything.  
  
Yes, this is slightly AU  
  
EWWWWWWWWWWWW! NO!NO!NO!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!  
  
Noo: You called?  
  
GoT: -_- No, I was crying out in disgust. I am NOT, well, Rath isn't, sweet on Aragorn. OK? Got that? She already has a boyfriend back in the Undying Lands. And Aragorn's like.............. Ewwwww! Arwen can have him! Poor woman.  
  
Yes, I can pick up the review.  
  
Too late now!  
  
OME! Your r/n is nearly two pages long! How the hell does Elfie keep up with all of this? (She's typing, i'm dictating!)  
  
Ok, what the heck are you doing going on about stars?  
  
Elfie & Noo have gone home *waves bye bye*  
  
0_o No, that is not what I ment. Ack!  
  
You already know what she is. Hehehehe, go into the light *giggles*  
  
I know, I got confused when I wrote it and I, umm, wrote it.  
  
-_-  
  
I know, but no ones perfect. It makes life more interesting.  
  
Aragorn = Chauvinistic Pig. Lol!  
  
Like I said before, Aragorn & Rath, eww, not going to happen. They just argue a lot because they're that type of friends that love arguing.  
  
Yes it is Elfie.  
  
I talk to my computer screen too. ^_^  
  
Hehehehe. My standard threat to Flamers.  
  
Weird magical heart girl friend sister Maiar person? Yup.  
  
Yup. I love the Mirkwood prince to, but, well, Elfie would kill me if Rath, you know.  
  
That bit made Elfie laugh when she read it. She didn't take it the wrong way or anything.  
  
Well, he doesn't walk round with no clothes on. He might catch a cold *suddenly remembers that Elves can't get sick* Okay. Grrrr, he has no excuse!  
  
Yup, babbling. If she didn't babble she wouldn't be the Elfie we know and love (in a friends way)  
  
AU. Yes.  
  
Yup Elfie's gonna kill me.  
  
Hehehehe, why are you peeps obsessed with Brits?  
  
Poor you :-(  
  
No, I told Elfie to be patient.  
  
ILMAO!  
  
=================  
  
Wow. The review responses are longer that the story. Now that's scary. See all you people around then! And don't forget to review! 


	9. Sword Lessons

Despite the conspiracy of teachers, parents, Coursework, aliens, cats and pidgins, who have tried to keep me away from the computer with evil homework, here is the next chapter of this story! YAY!  
  
Oh, by the way, I also now have a web site which can be found on my author bio page. It's got stuff about my characters on it, some of my art and a whole bunch of other crap. It's got bio's for Rath and Silva on it so if you want to learn more about them you should visit.  
  
By the way, don't forget to sign the guest book!  
  
  
  
  
The small group of travellers approached the hill of Weather Top. Strider was leading, with the hobbits in the middle and Lyncorath, with her sharp senses, was bringing up the rear.  
  
"This was the great watchtower of Amon Sul." He told them. "We shall rest here tonight."  
  
Rath narrowed her eyes at this suggestion, something that did not go unnoticed by the Ranger.  
  
"Is there something wrong, Rath?" He questioned.  
  
"Don't you think this is a little unwise Strider?" She asked.  
  
"I do not see how it could be unwise." He said carefully.  
  
"Then consider this scenario, what if our pursuers, not finding us in the wild, decide to make for Amon Sul themselves."  
  
"Since they are drawn to the ring," snapped Strider, "I don't see how it would make much difference where we stop."  
  
It seemed to Rath that Frodo paled slightly at this rather cold reminder. She felt a sense of pity for him, sorrow on his behalf. She knew what it was like.  
  
"I do not like this." She told the group. "There is a foul feeling about this whole affair."  
  
"It is getting dark." Strider continued. "And we must stop soon, it might as well be here."  
  
"I we can eat i'm all for it." Put in Pippin.  
  
"Me too." Added Merry.  
  
"Fine." Barked Rath. As the group made it's way slowly up the hill, towards a little hollow on the side under the ruins of the watchtower, Frodo turned to her.  
  
"Lyncorath?" She turned to him with a small smile.  
  
"Yes?" She asked.  
  
"About what you said before, do you really think something will happen?" He sounded so afraid, so young.  
  
She gave the young hobbit another smile and placing one hand on his shoulder told him. "If it dose, I'll protect you."  
  
Frodo smiled warmly at her. "Thank you." He said simply.  
  
  
  
  
Rath sighed. "For the hundredth time, Peregrine, no! You can't make a fire."  
  
"But it's cold!" Whined Pippin. At that moment a chill wind from the north blew through the small hollow where the group were sheltering. Rath shivered and drew her black cloak tighter around her.  
  
"No Peregrine. The riders might find us."  
  
"But you told Strider that if they didn't find us in the wild then they'd probably come here themselves. So I don't see why-"  
  
"Hush Pippin!" Hissed Frodo suddenly from where he had been laying down on his blanket. "We don't want to make it easier for them to find us." Pippin grumbled a little but didn't make anymore trouble, Sam and Merry shot her dark looks. Rath gave a world weary sigh.  
  
How she hated this, the Hobbits did not listen to her, only to Aragorn and Frodo, and seemed to spend most of their time prating about or eating, except Frodo. She hated Aragorn too, for leaving her here to watch these Halflings like a nurse maid.  
  
"They can be a bit of a handful, can't they?" Questioned Frodo, standing up.  
  
"It's rather like looking after small children." Rath told him, with her usual sarcastic smile. "I was never good at looking after children."  
  
"You're not exactly the maternal type, are you?" Frodo continued with a small laugh.  
  
"Defiantly not!" The pair of them chuckled for a few moments. Then Frodo pulled out the sword Strider had given him before he went to have a 'look around'. (Personally, Rath thought that he had gone off so he didn't have to put up with the constant whining of Peregrine)  
  
"What I wanted to ask you was-well-you seem to be quite a warrior and-well-"  
  
Rath eyed the blade. "You want to learn the art of sword fighting?"  
  
The hobbit gave an embarrassed sort of nod. "Yes."  
  
Rath grinned and drew her knife. "Very well. Prepare yourself."  
  
Frodo's eyes hardened and he took up a stance, sword held in front of him.  
  
"Now i'm going to attack you," she told him, "and you must defend yourself. Ready?" Frodo gave a quick nod.  
  
Rath leapt forward and brought the blade down, slowly, on Frodo's head. The hobbit raised his weapon and caught the blow. Rath then tried to slice his side, Frodo deflected it. This continued for sometime till the duellers were dashing back and forth, Rath going as fast as she could and Frodo was dodging and deflecting at lightning speed. The other three hobbits were staring agog at their friend.  
  
"Good, Frodo, good!" Applauded Rath, "we'll make a warrior of you yet. But you won't defeat an enemy just by defending yourself!" Frodo took her meaning and began to go on the offensive.  
  
Slashing, stabbing, defending, the two partners danced back and forth. The hobbits where cheering and egging their friend on. Both Frodo and Rath were laughing, having completely forgotten the threat to both of them.  
  
Suddenly.  
  
She was in a strange place, the walls were white and shiny. There were people wearing odd clothes. Lots of people. Her body felt wrong. She felt wrong. Everything was wrong. She could feel panic and fear rising in her. She wanted to scream but her throat was frozen. She let out a strangled cry and then the world turned black.  
  
  
  
Her eyes flickered open, the world was dim, it was night. Her head was aching terribly.  
  
"You're awake!" Shouted a voice near to her. She groaned and tilted her head to one side. Frodo had been sitting cross-legged next to her, he placed one hand on her forehead. It had been he who had yelled. "How do you feel?" He asked, "What happened?"  
  
"I was hoping you could tell me." Rath groaned, shutting her eyes and laying back.  
  
"Well," said Sam, "you were right there sparring with Mr. Frodo when you just stopped. Your eyes went wide as saucers and you went white as a sheet, beggin your pardon, ma'am. Then you dropped that there knife of yours, miss Lyncorath, and then you fell over."  
  
"What happened?" Asked Merry.  
  
"I wish I knew, Meriadoc, I really do." Rath opened her eyes. "Is Estel back yet?"  
  
"Who?" Asked the hobbits as one.  
  
She sighed. "Strider."  
  
"No Mr. Strider isn't back yet." Sam told her.  
  
"I need to rest." She told them. "Keep watch till Strider comes back. Frodo, you are in charge."  
  
"Yes." Was the simple answer, Rath quickly drifted off into an uneasy sleep.  
  
  
  
In case any of you people were wondering, Frodo does get together with one of my characters, but it's not Rath. *grins* She's already got a boyfriend.   
  
I think Rath and Frodo are going to end up with a sort of big sister - little brother relationship. Or possibly a mother - son one, that could be quite cute. *sees reviews giving her odd looks* What!? I like Frodo, he's a cool character, and I kinda feel sorry for him. He's an only child and he lost his parents at an early age. And look at what he has to go through, he deserves a mother figure. It'll be good for him *thinks* and good for Rath too.  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you really made my day and sorry I don't have time to do personal responses I just want you to know, you guys are the BEST!  
  
Don't forget:  
  
Amin mela lle, e'mellon men!  
  
Okay, see that button down there? The little purple one? Yup, that one. Please click on it and make my day *does puppy dog eyes* Pwitty Pwease? 


	10. Defenders on Weathertop

YAY! I AM BACK! AND I HAVE THE EXTENDED LOTR DVD, IT'S SOOOOOOOOO CHAMMY! AND I HAVE THE ONE RING!!!!!!! (sees people coming to have a look) NO! Stay away! It's mine! It's mine! Preciousssssssssss, it's my own, my love, my own, my Preciousssssssssss. (realises how stupid she looks and how she must be freaking people out with her creditable Gollum impressions)  
  
Right.  
  
Anyway i'm all sure that you want to read the next chapter so I'll just get strait to the review replies.  
  
Ahem.  
  
Daughter of the Night (formerly Åsa) - I have updated! Hope you like. Luv the new name, by the way.  
  
Chrissie - I think you can work out who, miss flying elf girl. (blushes) Thanks. Homework's a bastard.  
  
Elfie - Okay, the elvish phrase is yours, Elfie, not mine. Happy now! Did I explain it to you? I can't remember.  
  
Catreen Dragonsword - NO ONE CAN RESIST THE PUPPY DOG EYES!!!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! (cough) Ahem. Next time I'll get Frodo to do the eyes (cackle) Yes, mother/son would be cute.  
  
LafiTafi - Lol, I sent you a snail. Thanks for the review, I luv reading your reviews, they make me laugh.  
  
Mojo the Rock Chick Munchkin - Your a new one, one of Elfie's friends, right? Glad you liked it. Don't worry, I won't. Much.   
  
Rebekka - I've tried to keep with the language. I miss it sometimes also. Yes, freak power. It's not a freak, it's the freak and it's miss freak to you. LOL! Neomail? I haven't checked there in ages, poor Lyn must be starving, I'll go after I've posted this chappy.  
  
  
Right, I think that's everyone. Now, ON WITH THE CHAPTER! YAY!  
  
  
  
  
Lyncorath awoke in total darkness. About a yard away from her Frodo was asleep. She sat up and could feel the warm light on her back.  
  
"My tomato's burst."  
  
"Could I have some bacon?"  
  
"Ok. Want some tomatoes, Sam?"  
  
Rath turned sharply.  
  
"What in the name of the Valar do you think your doing!?" She screeched. Frodo awoke with a start at the sound.  
  
The three hobbits had been crouched round a bright yellow fire, cooking.  
  
"We-" started Merry.  
  
"-were hungry and-" continued Pippin.  
  
"-we decided to cook some dinner. We've saved some for you."  
  
Rath was temporally speechless, how could anyone be so stupid? Frodo leapt to his feet and ran over to the small group.  
  
"Put it out, you fools!" He told them urgently, stamping on the fire with his bare feet. "Put it out!"  
  
"Oh, that's nice!" Complained Pippin. "Ash on my tomatoes..."  
  
There was an ear piercing scream from the darkness surrounding them the chilled their hearts. In an instant Rath was up, axe in hand, scouring the night.  
  
'Where's Eru damn Estel when you need him!' She thought. She could hear horses. She looked down the side of the hill and saw the riders encircling the hill. Frodo also noticed this. Drawing his sort her yelled to the other hobbits to climb to the top of the watch tower.  
  
"GO!!"   
  
The hobbits fled up the stone stairs, Rath keeping rear guard. Once the reached the top the hobbits huddled together while Rath stood a little apart from them, axe held out in fount of her, sharp eyes alight with green fire. Three of the Nazgul slowly climbed up the hill, swords drawn.  
  
"Protect Frodo!" Commanded Rath as she walked forward to meet the wraiths.  
  
"Give us the Halfling!" Snarled one of the nine.  
  
"You are in no position to make demands considering the result of our last encounter." She told him tartly. The wraith screamed and launched at her along with it's companion. Rath threw herself into the battle, praying that he would be safe.  
  
She was so intent on the battle that she did not see the leader of the wraiths pull the hobbits away from Frodo. The young hobbit backed away and stumbled. He crawled along the floor as his soul shrank within him. Seeing no other alternative. He slipped the Ring onto his finger.  
  
The world around him shifted and became full of shadows. Before him he could see the Ringwraiths as they truly were. Great tall kings dressed in the robes of the dead, with helms of silver and swords of steel. He saw their pale faces and their terrible eyes. The Witch-King stepped forward and spoke to him in a language he did not understand but chilled his heart. He could feel the Ring pulling his hand up and he saw the Morgul Lord reach down to take it.  
  
Then he saw it.  
  
A shining white figure who was clothed in a robe of living flame. Hair as fluid as water streamed through the air as it's weapon swung round with the grace of a falling leaf to repel the pale figures facing it, and it turned to face him. The face was formed from divine, living light, as opposed to the deadly, sickly light of the Wraiths, there were no distinguishing features on the face except for the eyes.  
  
These eyes seemed to fill the world with passionate green fire, to look into them was to look into a window of eternity. The eyes met his and spoke words in a language he did not know, but understood.  
  
"Do not grant them what it is they seek."  
  
Frodo's eyes widened, he knew who it was. "Lyncorath." The Hobbit murmured in awe, he felt his strength return and he pulled his hand away from the Witch King. The Lord of the Nazgul snarled and plunged the cold, pale dagger into Frodo's shoulder. The young Hobbit screamed, the sharp blade was like burning ice.  
  
Lyncorath screamed her war cry of "ELBERETH!" and swung back her axe to strike the king when a dark shape leapt down with a yell to stand between Frodo and his assailant.  
  
"Better late then never, Strider!" Greeted Rath as she continued her swing, the wraith she was aiming for ducked and Rath had to block it's sword with her axe handle. She heard another cry of pain and looked, Frodo had taken the Ring off and his face was screw up in pain.  
  
Strider's blade rang as it clashed with one of the Wraiths and he then brought the flaming torch he held in his other hand down on the dark cloth that gave his opponent a physical form, setting it alight.  
  
'Not a bad idea.' Thought Rath to herself. She broke away from the fray and brought her hand up, palm facing her enemies. The two Wraiths recognised this stance and tried desperately to move out of the way. They were not fast enough.  
  
A thin beam of light burst forth from her hand and pierced on of the Wraiths, leaving a burning hole which caused the shroud to catch fire. The light them arched gracefully around and did the same thing to the other wraith. Screaming, they fled.  
  
Strider ran over to her, waving his sword in a threatening manner to try and deter the wraiths. Rath caught sight of the Wraith king and he turned his blank face to look at her. The Istari snatched the torch from the ranger and flung it at the Wraiths head. It became embedded in it's face, right between where they eyes would be normally, and the head burst into flame. Screaming, the Lord of the Nazgul retreated, following his fellows into the darkness. Rath smiled to herself, but it quickly faded.  
  
"Strider! Rath!" Yelled Sam. The Ranger and Istari ran over. Frodo was gasping in pain. Rath knelt down next to him and began to probe (A/N: Shut up Elfie!) the wound in his shoulder. Her face grew grave. Strider picked up the fallen blade and cursed as it melted.   
  
"He has been stabbed by a Morgul blade." He threw the hilt to the ground in frustration.  
  
Rath rose suddenly and ran back to where their packs lay. She pulled her own open and began to rummage round in it, muttering.....  
  
~*~ FLASHBACK ~*~  
  
Aftalei stood before a weeping woman clothed in the robe of mourning. She was Nienna the Weeper, the Valar goddess of grief, pity and suffering that brings wisdom and endurance beyond hope, and she bade farewell to her only handmaiden.  
  
Aftalei looked at the small phial that her mistress had presented her. Within was a substance a thousand times more precious that mithril. The Tears of Nienna.  
  
"From the water of these tears much is born that is unlooked for, yet it is often that which sustains life." Nienna told her. "Use them sparingly, Aftalei, for they have the power to heal and fill others with hope and the spirit to endure and I fear that the world is in need of such things."  
  
The Maiar closed her fist tightly over the phial and looked the Valar in the eye.  
  
"I will."  
  
~*~ END FLASHBACK ~*~  
  
Rath snarled a few curses under her breath as she upended the contents of her bag onto the floor. Strider came up behind her.  
  
"Rath? What are you looking for?"  
  
Rath ignored him and shut her eyes tightly and concentrated. "Where is it?" She murmured. Her eyes slammed open in horror.  
  
~*~ FLASHBACK ~*~  
  
"Estel! Estel! ARAGORN! Will you wait a moment!"  
  
The dark clothed Ranger sighed and turned to the woman who was struggling with her horse. "Can you at least attempt to get you beast moving Rath?" He asked in an irritated tone.  
  
"Milord Aragorn, son of Arathorn, you know very well that no one can get a horse through the Midgewater Marshes. Not even the future son-in-law of Elrond Halfelven." Lyncorath told him peevishly. "I'll have to send her back to Rivendell, give me a moment to unpack my goods."   
  
She sighed and patted her horse on the neck. "He's so inpatient Kathred. Well, I suppose I can't blame him. His destiny is racing to meet him in the south." She sighed and finished packing he belongings into her pack. Rath was a light traveller needing only a spare change of clothes, her blanket, food and her weapons. She began to do a mental checklist  
  
'Lets see I have Angabrac (this was the name of her mighty battle axe, it meant Shadow Bane), my mace, knife, food, blanket, clothes, Te-'  
  
"Rath! Hurry up! We must get to Bree before nightfall! The Wraiths are bound to be on the Hobbit's trail!"  
  
"Ohh. . ." Rath muttered some incoherent curses as she swung her pack onto her back. She then turned to Kathred. "Make your way speedily to Rivendell, old friend, where we shall meet again soon. Arian will take care of you." She gave Kathred a final pat and the horse trotted away, taking it's mistresses unpacked belonging with it.  
  
Rath sighed and turned to follow Aragorn through the quagmire.  
  
~*~ END FLASHBACK ~*~  
  
Rath rose to her feet and rounded angrily on Strider. "You IDIOT!"  
  
"I beg your-ARGH!" Rath had thrown him against the wall behind him and now had her hand around his throat.  
  
"If you hadn't had been so impatient I would have brought it!" She hissed.  
  
"Brought what?" He gasped.  
  
"The Tears." Strider's eyes went wide. "They're still on Kathred and are probably in Imladris at this very moment." She withdrew her hand from the Rangers throat and Strider began to breath once again.  
  
"Rath, I am sorry-" he began but Rath cut him off.  
  
"Bring Frodo and the weapon that wounded him to me. Pack up the camp and tell the other hobbits to do likewise." Strider nodded meekly and carried Frodo down, followed by the other three hobbits. He placed Frodo down on a blanket and began to pack up the camp, motioning for the hobbits to do the same, but the Halflings were watching Rath, fascinated, as she sat cross-legged next to Frodo with the hilt of the blade in her lap. She held her hands over it, palms facing down and chanted something under her breath, eyes half closed. This went on for five minutes before Rath threw the accursed thing away from her in helpless rage.  
  
"Gah! This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs elvish medicine."  
  
"We're six days from Rivendell! He'll never make it!" Wailed Sam. Rath ignored him, the last thing she wanted to deal with was a hysterical Halfling. She motioned for Strider to carry Frodo and organised the hobbits.  
  
"We must leave this place as quickly as we may." She told them. Rath started to lead them into the darkness, her torch held high, when Pippin (who, in Rath's opinion, was a few stars short of a constellation) asked:  
  
"What will happen now?"  
  
Rath shot Strider a withering look and he lowered his eyes. Her eyes met with Pippin's and it seemed to the young hobbit that they glowed like two distant stars hidden by the evening mists.  
  
"I will lead you." She told him and the group, lead by a tall woman with flowing hair strode out until even the flickering orange light of the torch was lost in the darkness.  
  
  
  
Huzzah! The chapter is finished! Okay, in the next chapters we're gonna be leaving Rath and the Hobbits as we see just what the other Istari girls are up to as well as what Sauron plans to do with poor Nilia. Cliff hangerie enough for ya?  
  
(Yawn) Now i'm going sleepy time now. (Gets out a hat with a note pinned to it saying 'Do not disturb. Please leave all review here for author to collect'. Then the authoress curls up in a foetal position with her thumb in her gob and goes to sleep.)   
  
Reviews pweaze! 


	11. The morning after the night before

I'm back! Muhahahahahahaha. To make up for the lack of updates here's a really long chapter, ten pages infact. Major thanks to Elfie for typing and editing this chapter for me. I love ya Elfie (in a friends way.)  
  
=====================  
  
Nissa awoke with a groan, her dark grey eyes opened slowly, labouredly. Her heightened hearing picked up the muffled bang of Freja leaving for work. Her sleepy eyes saw the time on the clock. 8:15. She sighed and snuggled back down into the blanket. Nissa's eyes flew open and she sat bolt upright in bed, a massive grin on her face.   
  
"Chrissie comes back today," she murmured joyfully and tried to leap out of bed. Unfortunately her legs became entangled in her blanket causing her crash rather painfully to the floor. From downstairs came a communal yell of:   
  
"Shut up, Nis!" Dragonissa was surprised to hear two male voices in the yell. This caused her grin to widen.   
  
"PETER!" She grabbed her pale blue bathrobe and dashed downstairs. Sure enough, there he was, leaning against the cooker. He smiled as she entered the kitchen.   
  
"Morning sleepy," he greeted and Nissa threw her arms round his neck.   
  
"When did you get back?" she demanded. Peter grinned.   
  
"About 7:30. We bumped into Noo on her way to work. Late again."   
  
"Boy is she gonna be in trouble," uttered a voice from the breakfast bar. Nissa turned to see a blonde Elf dressed in biker leathers, sitting down, eating toast.   
  
"Hey Simon. So did you boys have fun?"   
  
"Duh! The bikes, the massive cars, those Elf hunnies in hotpants that-"   
  
"That I'm sure you ignored," a female voice interrupted. Blaise came in, dressed for work carrying two tins of dog food, two tins of cat food and some bird seed. "Short's been giving me lip again. He started going on about how I can prove the bird seed doesn't exist." Short, real name Short Bob Silver, was a parrot. A very clever parrot. Cleverer than most people, though being cleverer than most people isn't hard. He had once belonged to the infamous pirate Long John Silver. Short had been the brains of the operation but, due to creative differences, Short left and took up Philosophy, eventually gaining a Ph.D. in Philosophy, Psychology and Theology. Then he moved in with the girls and drove everyone up the wall.   
  
"What did you do to him?" Nissa asked, leaning her head on Peter's shoulder.   
  
"Taped his beak shut."   
  
"BLAISE!"   
  
"What? It shut him up!" Blaise dumped the tins on the table and seated herself on Simon's lap. What she didn't realise was that Simon was in the middle of eating a piece of toast, so she ended up sitting on it.   
  
"B," scolded Nissa, "you'll have the animal rights people swarming over the place, if you're not careful." She left the kitchen in order to de-tape the bird. She went into the back room and tripped over her sausage dog, Ducky Bert, as he waddled into the kitchen. Nissa couldn't help but snigger when she saw the ex-pirate's pet, his muffled complaints barely audible. She carefully peeled the tape off his beak.   
  
"Thank you so much for that, you have no idea how infuriating that is. Who's a pretty polly, then? Ahem, I do apologise." Short still had a rather embarrassing habit of slipping back into pirate speech whilst talking. This caused great amusement in the girls and confusion in everyone else when, whilst engaging in a discussion about the alternations of war, Short yelled at the top of his little bird lungs:   
  
"SLIT OPEN HIS BELLY TO SEE THE COLOUR OF HIS INSIDES!!"   
  
"I know what it's like, I've had my snout belted shut or muzzled on several occasions." Nissa heard a floorboard creak but she'd already caught his scent. Peter came up behind her and slipped his arm around her waist. She could feel his warm breath tingling the hairs on her neck.   
  
"And what do you want?" she asked archly. He chuckled deep in his throat.   
  
"I think you can guess." He undid the knot of her belt.   
  
"You dirty perv!" Nissa scolded mildly.   
  
"So?" His lips brushed her neck. "It'll be a full moon in a few days."   
  
"I know." Nissa turned to face him. Peter brought his lips crashing down onto hers. He opened her robe and slid his hands underneath the old t-shirt she wore to sleep in. Nissa broke the kiss and giggled.   
  
"My, my, we are keen, aren't we? You were only gone for three days."   
  
"Three days without you is like three eternities without moonlight and stars."   
  
"That was so corny ev-" but he cut her off with another kiss, more passionate than the first. Nissa's hands slid up his chest to undo the zip of his leathers, which she peeled off his torso. Peter pushed the bathrobe of her shoulders and grabbed the hem of her top, making to pull it over her head, when they were rather rudely interrupted.   
  
"There are some things I do not want to see mammals doing, thank you very much! Shiver me timbers, matey!" screeched Short from behind Nissa. This prompted two reactions from the kitchen.   
  
"WAHEY!! You go, Nis! Get in there, girl!!" Blaise yelled and Simon burst into song.   
  
"You and me, baby, ain't nothing but mammals, so let's do it like they do on the discovery channel!" Peter grinned in an embarrassed sort of way.   
  
"Think we should wait, hmmm?" he said.   
  
"Might be a good idea." Peter laughed and kissed Nissa on the cheek.   
  
"I love you," he said softly. Nissa snuggle into his chest.   
  
"Love you too." The Kodak moment was then spoilt by a loud exclamation of:   
  
"Flippin', flappin' FUCK!!!"   
  
"You're late, Blaise," called Nissa in a sing song voice.   
  
"Eek! Don't remind me! Ah bugger!" As the couple came to the door they beheld a women in red tottering down the hall on impossibly high and very painful looking stiletto shoes, yelping: "I'm gonna be late! I'm gonna be late!" over and over again. She tripped over a loose fold in the carpet and collapsed into a sad pile of clothes and flesh to Nissa's cry of:   
  
"TIMBER!!!" Blaise moaned pitifully and screwed up all her courage to ask for the final resort.   
  
"Nissie? Can I have lift?" In the kitchen, Simon froze during his fourteenth piece of toast.   
  
"SHIT! She's gonna die!" He yelped but, due to his mouth being full of toast, it sounded more like: "MIFT! Me's morra guy!" Blaise looked fearfully at the expression of demonic delight on her best friend's face. Nissa rubbed her hands together gleefully and cackled.   
  
"Just give me a second to get dressed."   
  
~*~  
  
"DRAGONISSA!!! SLOW DOWN!!!"   
  
"You wanna get to work on time, don't ya? WOO HOO!!!"   
  
"YEAH! BUT I DON'T WANT TO DIE! AAARRRGGGHHH!!!" The reason for Blaise's distress was, as you may have guessed, Nissa's driving. For Nissa's 21st birthday, her very wealthy grandparents had bought her a Jeep because she'd asked for one. Now, this wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for Nissa's views on the Highway Code ie. it happened to everyone else.   
  
"Gods! Look at that traffic up ahead!" The black clad woman next to Blaise pointed with one long finger. "We can't get stuck in that now, can we?" She gave the wheel a hard pull to the right. The Jeep leapt onto the pavement and Nissa shifted gears, going from 40 mph to 60 mph.   
  
"NISSA! YOU CAN'T DRIVE ON THE PAVEMENT! SLOW DOWN!!!"   
  
"Come on! Where's your sense of adventure?" She then pulled off an impressive two wheeler, bringing Blaise's skull inches from the cement speeding past. When Nissa righted the car, Blaise was distinctly greener.   
  
Nissa drove the car over a roundabout and swung round a corner.   
  
"How is it that you've never had an accident?" Blaise wondered out loud as there was a lull in the insanity as Nissa sped down an empty street.   
  
As strange as it may sound, Nissa had yet to have a car accident. The reason for this was thus. At first, the Police had tried to arrest Dragonissa for dangerous driving, however it is very difficult to arrest someone with a predatory smile and very white teeth, who can also control towering infernos, has a great capacity for magic and can, quite literally, bite your head off. After about the fifteenth casualty (the victims of her impatience, not driving), they had decided that perhaps another course of action was in order. So, they set up "Nissa Watch'. Whenever Nissa got behind the wheel, a helicopter would take off and shadow her throughout her whole journey, broadcasting her current location to every radio station within a ten mile radius, giving motorists a chance to clear the roads. "After all," they said, "there was no knowing where she might be going at such a speed. Good old Nis could be speeding along to stop an army of approaching Zombies."   
  
Nissa sped round yet another corner and spotted a group of pedestrians about to cross the road. Blaise saw the glint her friend's eye as she took one hand from the wheel and raised it over her head, golden flames licking the cool morning sky.   
  
"No! Nissie! DON'T! NIS! NIS! NIS! NIS! NIS! ARR-EEK!!!" The flames left her fingers and blasted the pedestrians out of the way so she didn't have to slow down. "NISSA?!?!?!"   
  
"Awww, come on, they were only slightly scorched."   
  
"ONLY SLIGHTLY SCORCHED?!?!?!" Nissa let out a joyful laugh and belted towards the bridge. Fear clutched Blaise's heart. "Nis, this isn't the way to my work."   
  
"This is a short cut!" Nissa yanked the gear stick and went full throttle. Blaise let out an ear piercing shriek as Nissa drove off the bridge.   
The Jeep rolled to a halt in front of an office block. She consulted her watch.   
  
"Hey, B, you're five minutes early." She got out of the Jeep and walked round to Blaise's door. Blaise remained frozen stiff with eyes wide in horror. "That's nice! Not even a thank you." Nissa opened the door and Blaise fell out, maintaining her frozen seated position. "Didn't you have your set belt on? Silly girl!"   
  
"Muwahamenah." Blaise rose unsteadily to her feet and wobbled into the building, swaying blearily. Nissa watched her go in.   
  
"Does she know she's got butter all over her arse?" She wondered out loud.   
  
~*~  
  
Peter gave a content and kissed Nissa's forehead gently.   
  
"So you did miss me then?"   
  
"Of course." Nissa snuggled up to her boyfriend. "You're lovely and warm," she said. Peter laughed.   
  
When Nissa had got back, Simon had already left for work, so it was just Nissa and Peter, who had conveniently booked an extra day off work, since then they had been, as Peter put it, 'making up for lost time'.   
  
"I suppose we had better start getting ready for Chrissie to come home," said Nissa after a moment. Peter groaned and rolled off the bed, grabbing his jeans and pulled them on. Nissa followed suit, pulling on her black flares and leather top. The pair then set out to prepare for the winged Elf's return. They cleared that remains of breakfast, let the cats out, took the dogs for a walk and used a blow torch to clear some fungi growing on the wall of the bathroom. They were about to do the same to some fuzzy green stuff that was growing behind the radiator when Peter pointed out that for all they knew, they could be relations of Noo.   
  
By the time they had finished and had sat down for a refreshing cup of tea, it was midday. Chrissie was due back any time now and Nissa was very excited. Nissa smiled to herself as she thought about her friend. Tall, dark hair with dark eyes and tanned skin. Chrissie was a flying Elf, her wings were those of a butterfly and pink in colour. Chrissie was an accomplished warrior. Nissa recalled the times that they had fought side by side against great odds. Chrissie dealt out bloody judgment to all enemies and to anyone who was stupid enough to call her a faerie. Nissa leaned against Peter's shoulder as he sat next to her on the sofa and she closed her eyes. She didn't get much sleep the night before because of those funny dreams. What was her name again? Lyncorath? She curled herself around an already asleep Peter and let sleep take her.   
  
~*~  
  
Nissa awoke to the sound of a panic-stricken Peter.   
  
"Nissie! Nissie! Get up! Chrissie's two hours late!"   
  
"WHAT?!" Nissa sat up straight, smacking her forehead against Peter's jaw rather painfully.   
  
Once ice had been placed upon Nissa's aching head and the pain was beginning to subside, her own panic set began to set in.   
  
"She's two hours late?!"   
  
"We've been asleep for two hours and she isn't back yet!"   
  
"Maybe she came but couldn't get in because we were asleep and she couldn't wake us up," reasoned Nissa.   
  
"She's got a key, remember,"   
  
"Do you think something has happened?"   
  
"To Chrissie? Nah, she could beat the living crap out of me." However, Peter did not look certain. Nissa still pondered for a moment.   
  
"Didn't Ebony say she was going to see Chrissie off?" she wondered out loud.   
  
"Why don't you call her and see if anything weird happened?" Peter answered.   
  
"She'll be at work by now." Peter pulled a face.   
  
"This ought to be fun."   
  
~*~  
  
"Hey there, big boy," breathed a husky voice, panting heavily. "This is the Faerie Lovers Sizzling Hotline and I'm Ebony, your little pet. I suck, I swallow, I'll turn you hollow, inside out, let's do hokey pokey, I'll turn your mind about." The voice suddenly became bored and uninterested. "Right, you got two minutes, bub, I've got five other guys waiting. Okay, wait a second." The husky, breathy voice returned. "I'm holding my bra, it's pink and lacy-"   
  
"Shut up, Ebony, it's Nissa!"   
  
"Nissa? What the hell are you doing phoning me here? I didn't know you were into this sort of thing. Come out of the closet, have we?" On the other end of the phone, Nissa slapped Peter to stop him sniggering.   
  
"Look! I DO NOT swing that way. I've just phoned you up to ask about Chrissie." In her chair, Ebony adjusted her tartan micro skirt.   
  
"Why? What's up with Chrissie?"   
  
"She isn't back yet. Did anything happen, you know, something strange, when you saw her off, Eb?"   
  
"Nah, not that I can remember. Come on, Nis, this is Chrissie we're talking about. She probably stopped to beat the shit out of someone. AH BUGGER! The boss is coming!" Ebony let out a shriek down the phone, followed by a couple of moans.   
  
At her home a look of complete disgust crossed Nissa's face and with a loud "EWWW!" she held the phone out at arm's length. Curious Peter put his ear to the phone to hear what Ebony was saying. He looked confused and then winced.   
  
"OUCH! I didn't know you could do that? Is that legal?"   
  
"No, its probably not and you probably can't do whatever it is in real life. That's why it's on the phone, so you can fantasise," Nissa told him, looking slightly sick. A few minutes later, Ebony's voice returned to normal.   
  
"Okay, he's gone," she whispered. Despite her concerns about Chrissie, Nissa still felt compelled to ask:   
  
"Eb, you've got loads of qualifications and you're a talented girl. So why oh why are you doing this job that's only one very small step from negotiable affection?"   
  
"Coz it's more fun," she replied. "Anyway, Chrissie got off alright, seemed quite happy to be going back home. You don't think anything has happened to her, do you Nissie?"   
  
"Are you talking to a woman, Ebony?" asked a male voice from behind her. Ebony turned her head sharply. It was her boss.   
  
"Errr………… um…………… ahh……………" Ebony hung her head. "Yes, Mr. Lason." If Ebony said she was talking to a friend, she'd get in even more trouble. The line was supposed to be for business only. However, Mr. Lason's shrewd business mind was already working. 'Maybe we should start branching out to lesbians?' he thought.   
  
"Good job, Eb, there'll be a nice little bonus in your wage packet for you at the end of the week," he said aloud. Down the phone, Ebony let out a small shriek and a yell of "THANK YOU!"   
  
Nissa sighed and put down the phone, rightly thinking that she wouldn't get anything else but praise and glory from the half pixie, half faerie. Not that she didn't like praise and glory, but it wasn't what she needed to hear at that moment. She needed to know where Chrissie was.   
  
"Well, that was a complete waste of time," she grumbled. Peter tutted and came to massage her shoulders.   
  
"Don't worry, Nissie, I'm sure Chris is fine."   
  
"But what is she isn't?" whispered Nissa. Before Peter could answer, the hone rang. Nissa picked it up thinking it was going to be Ebony.   
  
"Look, Eb, I'm really not in the mood for this at the moment, okay?" The person on the other end of the phone let out a chuckle.   
  
"I assure you I'm not the faerie," they said. Nissa's brow knotted.   
  
"Who is this?" There was another chuckle.   
  
"Don't you remember me, Dragonissa?" This was getting creepy now. Peter mouthed 'who is it?' to her but she waved her free hand at him, indicating for him to not distract her.   
  
"Nope. Not a lot of remembering going on here." She tried to make her voice sound as uncaring, as heedless as possible, but she was uncomfortable.   
  
"Hasn't your friend come home yet?" The voice sounded like it was smirking. Nissa's fingers tightened round the phone.   
  
"Where's Chrissie?" she demanded.   
  
"Oh, your little faerie can't come to the phone right now." There was a pause. "Those wings of hers are very beautiful, aren't they?" Nissa growled deep in her throat.   
  
"It you hurt her, I'll-"   
  
"You'll what?" The voice took on a malevolent tone. "Now listen, gatekeeper, your friend isn't hurt……… too badly. If you want her pretty little head returned whilst it's still attached to her body, I suggest you do exactly what I tell you to do."   
  
"Go on," said Nissa, struggling to keep her voice normal.   
  
"Go to the mall in the Elven quarter of Alden. Outside the coffee shop on the third floor is a waste bin. Inside that bin will be your instructions. Don't try anything. I will be watching." The caller hung up. Nissa put the phone down her end, stunned………   
  
Chrissie was being held to ransom.   
  
~*~  
  
"So, where did this person say they were leaving the instructions?" Peter asked, looking around.   
  
"In the bin outside the third floor coffee shop," replied Nissa. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Peter wrinkled his nose.   
  
"Actually in the bin?" he asked, incredulously. Nissa frowned.   
  
"And I'm sure you've never rummaged through a bin before."   
  
"But that was different. That was on a full moon and I didn't have anything to eat at all that day." Nissa sighed and looked around. The mall was heaving, packed from wall to wall with many different forms of life. The walls and floor were a sterile white and the light was garish and unnatural. As they made their way through the masses, Nissa kept looking about her. Any one of those people could be the one who had Chrissie.   
  
Once they had reached the designated place, Nissa kept watch whilst a decidedly unhappy Peter searched through the bin, looking for anything unusual. He eventually pulled out a large brown envelope and distastefully picked a banana skin off it and flung into back into the bin, wiping his fingers on his shirt. Nissa snatched the envelope out of his hand and tore it open. Out of it slipped a blue crystal on a silver chain. Nissa looked at it.   
  
"I gave Chrissie this necklace," she said, quietly. She then pulled out a sheet of paper. The words were typed in bold.   
  
'If you want your friend back, Dragonissa must go to the Pass of the Eternal Scream at sunset tomorrow, alone. If she can survive the trials therein, I will contact you again. Make sure she is completely alone, for I shall be watching. If you do not ensure this, I shall return then neck that this pretty jewel hung from. And only the neck.'   
  
"The Pass of the Eternal Scream?" Peter read over Nissa's shoulder. "Does this freak want to kill you?"   
  
The Pass of the Eternal Scream was a canyon located just outside of Alden, the capital city of Andomen. Long ago, a mad wizard had filled the canyon with treacherous traps and devious magic that only a handful of people had managed to get through and come out again alive. But even those that did come out had gone mad. And no one ever said what was in the Pass. The hellish place had earned its name from its worst aspect. Those who had perished while attempting to cross were frozen in time, their dying screams forever echoing around the canyon, their souls unable to escape the plain of non-existence.   
  
Peter caught the oh-so familiar glint in his lover's eye.   
  
"Dragonissa, NO!" He grabbed both her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Nissa. Nissie. It's a fool's errand. If you try that pass, you will die."   
  
"And if I don't Chrissie will die too!" she argued back.   
  
"The dude that has got her will probably kill her anyway, even if you do succeed. What good would you both be being dead do?"   
  
"I may not die," she said. She jerked away from Peter. "Do you have such little faith in me?"   
  
"It's not you. It's just…………… I don't think I could bear to lose you."   
  
"I know but," she turned away so Peter would not see the starting of her tears, "I've already lost so many people. I'm not going to lose Chrissie, too." Peter was about to say something he saw her whole body go rigid.   
  
"Nis?"   
  
She could hear the screaming, one shrill, unbroken note, like wind rushing down a tunnel. Then the world seemed to shift around her. She was outside in windy, clean, cold air. It was dark, just after sunset. The shrieking was getting louder until it almost deafened her. 'Why does the freaky stuff always happen to me?' she had just about enough time to think before darkness overtook her. She didn't even feel her body connect with the ground as she fell.   
  
~*~  
  
Chrissie opened her eyes. The floor she lay on was cold and damp. She tried to lift her head but, when she did, pain like a thousand demons tap dancing on her cranium coursed through her. Her lips were swollen and she could feel a warm, sticky substance on them. Her dry tongue licked her lips, she could taste the saltiness of her own blood. She tried in vain to rise onto all fours, but she was too weak. Her arms gave way under her and she collapsed into a pool of her own blood. She silently raged at her own insufficiency, a warrior Elf such as herself unable to climb to her feet. Where was she? She remember saying goodbye to Ebony and then………… nothing.   
  
"Does it bring back memories?" a harsh voice asked. Chrissie looked up blearily. Far above her, there was a patch of light from a door. Silhouetted against the light was a figure whom Chrissie was unable to make out.   
  
"What?" Chrissie's voice was cracked and hard to hear.   
  
"I didn't you'd remember," the person continued. "Your lizard friend didn't either. But you will." The person descended some stairs and grabbed Chrissie by her hair. "Kneel before me, faerie!" they hissed. "Soon everyone will kneel to me! All the fools in this soft world! Once I have all five………" the voice trailed off.   
  
Then it returned, cold and malicious.   
  
"Is the poor ickle faerie tired?" the voice said, mimicking a small child. Chrissie could feel the anger rise inside her, caused by this disrespect and mockery, and the sheer frustration of not being able to express it. "Perhaps I should help." It sounded like the voice was grinning. One booted foot lashed out, kicking Chrissie in the stomach. The flying Elf coughed up some more blood that seemed to burn her raw throat and gurgled as she slipped into unconsciousness. The last thing she remembered was hearing the sadistic laughter of her captor.   
  
===================  
  
Please review, I need to feed my brainchildren. 


	12. Jail Birds

Thank you Elfie for typing this up for me. You're a great mate.  
  
=================  
  
"And that's what happened." Peter was explaining to everyone that had happened that day.   
  
"So, Nis just………… fell over?" Blaise asked. "Why?"   
  
"Does it really matter?!" Ebony snapped. She stood up and paced the room. "While we're here talking, Chris is being held captive by some psycho freak!"   
  
"Eb, calm down." Freja got up and put a hand on the faerie/pixie's shoulder. "We have no idea where Chrissie and that person said they'll only contact again if Nissa tried the Pass."   
  
"Why would they want Nis to try the Pass?" Simon queried. Peter shrugged.   
  
"Who knows?" he said. "Some sort of revenge? Nissa has some powerful enemies. We're dealing with a sick mind here." Blaise suddenly looked confused.   
  
"But I thought it was the law that Nobby had to give three weeks notice before he visits," she said.   
  
"There are minds sicker than Corporal Nobbs, B, and we're dealing with one," said Peter. A horrified look occupied Blaise's face.   
  
"Oh my gods," she whispered.   
  
~*~   
  
Chrissie woke up and reality was worse than her nightmares. She was freezing. Sleeping on a cold and damp floor made out of roughly hewn stone was definitely not a good idea. She pulled herself into a sitting position, despite the throbbing pain in her stomach. 'Damn,' she thought. 'They kicked me, didn't they?' Chrissie looked about her. It looked like she was in some sort of dungeon. There were rusted chains against the far wall and she could hear the drip-drip of water from far away. The only light that entered that dark place came from a grate in the wall, high above, where she could see the blue sky, and from a barred window in the door, from which a faint, flickering, orange candlelight was emitted. Chrissie decided to make her way over to the door to see if there was any way she could make an escape.   
  
The captive managed to crawl towards the light, and as she did, she thought she could smell something like rotting plants. Her nose wrinkled, it was very overpowering.   
  
She reached the door and pulled herself up to peer through the bars. So there was a reason for that stench. A Gnoll was coming out of one of the cells opposite hers. It definitely wasn't the person who she saw last night, it must be a minion.   
  
The Gnoll slammed the large, heavy door shut and shouted through the grate to whoever was being held within:   
  
"And any more of your cheek and I'll rip out those pretty little eyes of yours and eat them in front of you!!!" The Gnoll shuffled off down the corridor, he didn't look in Chrissie's direction, which was definitely a good thing. She allowed herself to slide to the floor, her back against the door.   
  
"Come on, Chrissie, think! You need to find a way out of this mess!" she whispered to herself. The Elf shut her eyes and rested her forehead against her knees. This all looked completely hopeless.   
  
"Aww, don't give up hope," said a voice that came from nowhere. Chrissie jerked her head up and immediately regretted it.   
  
"Who's there?" she moaned, secretly wondering if she lost her mind altogether.   
  
"You're not losing your mind," the disembodied voice soothed, "it's just that you think so loudly that anyone could hear, anyone with good hearing at least. As to who I am, just have a little peek out of your little door window thing." Chrissie groaned but pulled herself up to look. She was surprised to see a face at the grate in the door that the Gnoll had come through. She was even more surprised to see that the face looked like it belonged to an Orc. However, she was surprised the most by the creature's eyes. They were large and bright blue. This wasn't really unusual in itself, what was unusual was the expression they contained. Soulful and melancholy, the eyes of someone who had seen many terrible things and suffered much but still carried on regardless. No Orc's eyes were like that. The captive smiled at Chrissie.   
  
"Hello fellow person-imprisoned-for-no-good-reason. What's your name then?"   
  
"Chrissie." The Elf shook her head, there was something not right about this whole affair. Whoever this person was had a pleasant voice with a lyrical way of talking that sounded like he would be a good singer. It was a well known fact that Orcs, when they sang, sounded like a pack of hyenas devouring alive some sort of small dinosaur. This person had an educated voice and even the 'nice' Orcs didn't get any schooling. In a race of people whose currency is teeth, being able to read and write is pretty much considered a party trick.   
  
"Who are you?" she asked him. The orcish male's smile grew sad.   
  
"What doe it matter anymore?" he replied sadly. "I've been here so long, it doesn't really matter who I am." He looked so sad.   
  
"How long have you been here?" she said. He seemed to shrug.   
  
"Dunno. Three, may be four months. You loose track of time after a while."   
  
"Four months?!?!" she cried. She was horrified.   
  
"About that."   
  
"What did you do to be put in here?"   
  
"Nothing, I was just coming home from a party when I got hacked over the head from behind. When I woke up I was here, and I-" He seemed to think that he had said too much and clammed up. Something else was bothering Chrissie, so she decided to ask him straight out.   
  
"You could hear my thoughts. That means you're magical. And Orc's don't use magic at all. They're one of the most unmagical creatures in the whole multi-verse. So I'm thinking that you're not an Orc. What are you really?" His shoulders sagged.   
  
"Like I said, it doesn't matter anymore. Besides, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. Let's just say I'm more than what I appear to be."   
  
"I gathered that," she replied. "But will you at least tell me your name?"   
  
"The jailers call me Rusva." Chrissie mentally started at this, for Rusva was the Elvish for 'broken'.   
  
"Is that what you want me to call you?"   
  
"One name is as good as another, Chrissie, you can call me that."   
  
"Oh, will you stop being so depressed?!" She was starting to lose her patience at just how much this whatever-he-was was down. Chrissie moved away from the gap and leant her back against the door again. She was scowling but inside a seed of panic was starting to grow out of control. Rusva had been here for three or four months. How long would she be in this place? Would she ever see the ones she loved again?"   
  
"Chrissie?" Rusva's voice called softly. "Chrissie, please come back. I'm sorry for being so down, it's just you reminded me of what my life was like before I was brought here and I can't help feeling sad about it."   
  
"I guess that's understandable." She came back to the window. Rusva smiled warmly in relief at her reappearance. Despite his hideous features, it was a warm and pleasant smile.   
  
"It's nice to have someone to talk to," he said. Much to her surprise, Chrissie found herself smiling back. 


	13. Sleeping Beauties and the Beast Within

G/N: Hi, I'm back. Exams are over and I'm free till September so updates will be a lot faster now (unless my C drive gets wiped again, grrrrr, damn computer). Also, I have a new muse. You may remember my old one, Calopera, well she doesn't do much now apart from site in her corner of the cave and hit herself on the head with blunt instruments. I found a new muse while I was away from ff.net, his name is Brogan, say hi to the nice people, Brogan.  
  
The rock that GoT was sitting on moves and opens a blue eye.  
  
GoT: Everyone, this is Brogan, he's a silver dragon.  
  
Brogan: (looks at the readers) Greetings, squishy humans.  
  
GoT: Sorry about that, he's not really a people person, but then, silvers usually aren't, but he's a damn useful muse.  
  
Brogan: Why thank you, Guardian. Now, why don't you update this fic so that your squishy friends can read it?  
  
GoT: Okay, but could you please not call them squishy. And I think Elfie wants to say something;  
  
E/N: Once again I'm typing, so of course there are going to be a few E/N's along the way. Sorry, Guardian, you know I can't help myself!  
  
==============  
  
Chapter 13: Sleeping Beauties and the Beast Within  
  
"You know, I didn't think there could be anyone sicker than Nobby," Blaise said thoughtfully.  
  
"Look it doesn't matter about Nobby, all we need to worry about are Chrissie and Nissa." said Freja. After Nissa had collapsed, Peter had, after a moment of blind panic, shifted to his wolf form and conducted a werewolf diagnosis, which consisted of sniffing around Nissa trying to see if anything was wrong. The weredragon simply smelt as if she was sleeping. Peter then decided that the best probable thing to do would be to take her home. After all, weredragons were like Elves in their resistance to illness. She was now lying on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket.  
  
Freja sighed and went over to her friend. The Elf hybrid placed one clawed hand on the weredragon's forehead.  
  
"She doesn't have a temperature or anything."  
  
"So what's wrong with her then?" Peter asked, coming over to join Freja. "Nissëhon," he begged, "what's wrong with you? Why won't you wake up?"  
  
"In the stories, Prince Charming can always wake the beautiful, sleeping princesses with in kiss," said Noo suddenly. "Maybe Peter could wake Nissa up with a kiss?" Blaise was going to make a comment about Nissa being anything but 'beautiful' and a 'princess' but she decided the situation wasn't right, she was too worried and she didn't really mean it (well not that much anyway). So, instead, she went with:  
  
"AWWWWW!!! That's so cute!"  
  
"Oh please," Ebony muttered. Blaise ignored her and then clipped Simon around the back of the head for sniggering.  
  
"Go on, Peter," she coaxed. "It can't do any harm, can it?" Peter was mildly embarrassed. He had never had any problem with kissing Nissa in public, but being asked, no, TOLD to kiss her was something completely surreal.  
  
He sighed melodramatically and knelt down next to Nissa on the floor. He could feel the eyes of everyone else in the room boring into the back of his head. He shut it out and lent over Nissa till he could feel her soft breath on his cheek. 'Here goes nothing,' he thought as he leant down and closed his eyes. His lips brushed hers softly just before the actual kiss. Peter pressed his lips down on Nissa's, trying to massage the life back into her with his mouth. [E/N: How the hell did you figure an idea like this one, woman?! *sighs* What are you like, apart from brilliant and talented?]  
  
He felt her body stir beneath and when he felt the faint fluttering of her eyelashes on his cheek, he sat up to look at her. Her large, dark eyes flickered open and she regarded him with some confusion.  
  
"Peter? What happened?"  
  
"Nis." Peter placed one hand on her cheek. "You're alright." This rather soppy and romantic little scene was then ruined by Blaise. (A/N: Surprise, surprise) [E/N: Guardian, that's just rude and insulting. Anymore of that and you can type your own bloody stories! ^_~]  
  
"NISSIE!!!" Peter found himself shoved sideways as a very excited Siren/Imp hybrid went to hug her friend. He did laugh to see his bemused girlfriend's face peeking over Blaise's shoulder. Blaise was sobbing, but not quite crying, with joy as Nissa patted her head in confusion.  
  
Everyone else was in shock.  
  
"It worked," said Simon, eventually. "It actually worked."  
  
"I'll be a monkey's uncle," murmured Ebony.  
  
"Really?! When?!" asked Noo. "When will you be a monkey's uncle?"  
  
"No, Noo, it's a figure of spee-" Freja began to explain, but she was cut off by Blaise.  
  
"NOO!!!!!!! You absolute darlin'!!!!! YOU DID IT!!!!" Noo looked panicky.  
  
"No! I never done nothing!" Freja frowned at this use of a double negative whilst Blaise continued.  
  
"But you did, hun. You came up with the idea to wake up Nis. Hunni, you were clever." Noo beamed at the remark, she had Made An Intelligent Contribution. Blaise moved away from Nissa to suffocate... er... hug Noo, allowing Peter the chance to return to his beloved's side.  
  
"Nissa, love," he asked, "are you alright now?" She smiled faintly and pulled herself into a sitting position.  
  
"Not really, but I'll be okay." She shrugged. "You know what it's like with us Anwe, if it doesn't kill us outright, it's only a matter of time until we're back to normal again."  
  
"What happened at the mall?"  
  
"I don't know, I just... it was really strange... Ohhhh, and now I've got a demon of a headache." Peter frowned.  
  
"Hmmm, maybe I should put you to bed, [E/N: Aye aye! *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*] you should rest."  
  
"Yeah, I'll need all my strength if I'm gonna do the Pass tomorrow." The room went deathly silent at this statement. Nissa frowned at her friends. "What?"  
  
"Hunni," Blaise said, quietly, "you can't be serious..."  
  
"Oh, she is," groaned Peter, exasperatedly, covering his eyes with one hand.  
  
"Dragonissa, have you thought about his rationally?" Freja questioned severely.  
  
"Well, I would have done if there was anything rational about someone I don't know kidnapping one of my best friends, for no good reason, and then demanding that I run a gauntlet of death designed by a nut job wizard on a bad acid trip," Nissa snarled. However, she deflated a little when she saw the looks everyone was giving her. Even Noo had got off whatever happy cloud she was currently occupying to look concerned. Nissa glared back for a moment, before asking in an icy cold tone: "Well, do you have any suggestions about what to do?" Freja thought for a moment before suggesting:  
  
"I could do a tracking spell. It'll be easy."  
  
"Yeah," said Blaise enthusiastically, "after all, you got the highest scores for spell-casting in the whole year!" Everyone instantly felt better, until they heard Nissa's cynical tones breaking through.  
  
"I would have thought that our psychotic friend would have thought of that."  
  
"Why would they want to do a tracking spell?" asked Noo.  
  
"You CRETIN!!!" bellowed Dragonissa, Noo's idiocy finally snapping her taunt patience. In one fluid movement, she was on her feet. Everyone in the room cringed away from her. Dragonissa's eyes had become burning emeralds that threw off angry green flames. Noo backed away from her housemate, every instinct screaming at her to run from this enigmatic creature who was her friend but, at the same time, one of the most effective and brutal predators in existence.  
  
"How can anyone be so dim?!?!" she roared, long, silver fangs growing from her mouth. "I sometimes think that it would do the whole world a favour if you just ceased to exist!!!!!" Dragonissa raised one hand, now ending in long copper claws like Celtic knives and for one long and terrifying moment, it seemed as thought she would strike Noo.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Blaise saw a flash of reddish brown fur fly passed. Peter had shifted into his werewolf form and now stood shielding his friend from his mate. Peter's eyes met those of Dragonissa, who had by this point sprouted horns, her skin turned deep gold and the copper streaks were spreading through the rest of her hair like dye in water. They spoke with no words, but in the secret way of wild animals.  
  
Then Dragonissa lowered her eyes and let out a sigh of submission. One pearly tear slid down her cheek before she vanished in a blast of sorcerous flame. Once she had gone, Noo let out a wail and wrapped her arms around the werewolf, burying her face in his warm fur as she sobbed. Peter gave out a little whine and patted her on the head.  
  
Blaise was the first to find her voice.  
  
"That BITCH!!!!!!!!" [E/N: Well phrased, B, my sentiments exactly!]  
  
~*~  
  
Dragonissa did not return that night. Peter wanted to go out and look for her but he knew that she wanted to be alone. He wished he could do more because, even though she hid it well, he knew that Nissa was a deeply unhappy person.  
  
~*~  
  
As she lay asleep next to her Elven lover, Blaise heard through her dreams the low, melancholy melody of Dragonsong, crying in the night a song as old as time and as sorrowful as isolation. Her dreams were free of any mention of middle Earth.  
  
Not so for Freja.....  
  
She sat bolt upright in bed. The night wind rustled the lilac and blue drapes that hung at her window. She pushed a lock of smoky black hair behind her ear and listened, she could hear someone outside. Gracefully, the woman rose, the crimson folds of her nightgown curling about her body like a flame.  
  
On the ground outside, a cloaked figure moved swiftly towards the stables. The woman at the window sighed and turned away.  
  
In the stable the cloaked figure was putting on the bridle on a strong, pale horse. "Come Asfaloth," she muttered, "we must make haste. I sense that my love is in grave peril."  
  
"Good evening, my Lady Evenstar." Arwen span round to face the entrance of the stables.  
  
"Lady Arian!" The Silver Flame stood leaning against the door of the stables, clothed in a simple robe of red, a disapproving frown on her fair face.  
  
"And just what, pray tell, are you doing, Arwen, stealing in here in the dead of night like a common horse thief?" Arwen drew herself up to her full height and held her head up proudly.  
  
"I am going to find Aragorn, I fear he is in danger."  
  
"Lord Elrond, your father, has forbidden you to leave," Arian told her severely.  
  
"That is true but, Arian, this is something that I must do, I know I'm going to be needed. Please trust me, I know what I'm doing." Arian clicked her teeth in annoyance. 'Damn all Elves and their emotional foolishness,' she thought. [E/N: Sisters too, dear Arian?]  
  
"Very well, I'll let you go," Arian said, mentally cursing herself for having a soft spot for the Elven Princess. "But I shall have to inform your father of these events in the morning." Arwen smiled.  
  
"Thank you, my lady, you are most kind." Arwen mounted her horse.  
  
"Hmph!" snorted Arian. Arwen nudged her steed towards the door. Just as horse and rider were about to vanish into the night, Arwen turned back to the disgruntled Istari.  
  
"Oh, and if I'm not back in time for their arrival, give my love to the sisters."  
  
"That I shall do."  
  
"Thank you." She went to turn but looked back again. "Oh, and Legolas also. He's coming with Silva." And with an impish grin on her face, she galloped off into the darkness.  
  
"WHAT?!?!?!"  
  
In her sleep, Freja turned over, shifting uncomfortably, a deep frown forming upon recumbent features.  
  
~*~  
  
Far away from the fitfully sleeping girls, a young woman with blood-red hair curling down to her waist looked up from the scrying pool that had just repeated the events that lead to Dragonissa leaving.  
  
"So," she murmured, a cruel smile curving to her rouged lips, "the lizard is having difficulty controlling her draconic tendencies. How very.... interesting."  
  
==============  
  
Brogan: Five pages long, Elfie must have had sore fingers afterwards.  
  
GoT: I know, I'll have to by her something when I get money, as a thank you.  
  
Brogan: Very good, now, don't you think you had better get to work on TAOPIN?  
  
GoT: Awww, I wanna do Jail Break, I've come up with a whole new language for it, I like my alien mutants.  
  
Brogan: You have very few reviews for that. You should do what the people want.  
  
GoT: Awww, all right. The disgruntled author pulls the dusty note book entitled 'The Adventures of Pipehead in Nosgoth' towards her and starts to type.  
  
Brogan: (calling) Janos! Put the kettle on! 


	14. The Fate of Chanilia

Brogan: It's taken you long enough to update.  
  
GoT: Oh shut up! I've been busy!  
  
=====================  
  
Chapter 14: The Fate of Chanilia   
  
Chanilia regained consciousness and immediately wished she hadn't. The smell was truly awful, common sense dictated that after a week of this her nose should have shut down, unfortunately her sense of smell didn't seem to follow common sense.   
  
A week ago the Istari woman had been sitting on the shores of the great river, thinking. Chanilia thought a lot, she thought the unfolding of the world, the lives of men and Elves and Istari. Silvawen and Arian walking with Elves, Saruman and Isauriel looking out over the world from their tall pillars of stone, Gandalf and Lyncorath, who, in her opinion, were the mightiest, wandering alone in the wild places.   
  
Nilia didn't think of herself as anything special, she was a healer and content to live quietly next to the river. People would come to her seeking potions and cures and she would give them, free of charge.   
  
As she sat, a flicker on the other side of the river caught her eye. Idly, she shifted position and drew a knife from her belt, holding it loosely at her side.   
  
She rolled to her left as an arrow flew past where she had been sitting only a moment ago, as she did so, she threw the knife and was rewarded by an orc archer falling out of a tree on the other shore, her knife embedded in it's throat.   
  
There was the briefest moment of stillness before at least twenty others opened fire but, by this point, Nilia had taken refuge behind an outcrop of rocks. So, these filthy abominations had the guile to attack her? Well, they would learn.   
  
Nilia drew her power from water in all it's forms, rain, snow, rivers, seas, if water was near, she could use it. The Istari focused, drawing all her power and the energy inside her down to one powerful point, and then said the words:   
  
"Mighty Anduin   
  
Greatest of rivers   
  
Arise   
  
By the power of Ilúvatar, I command you,   
  
Destroy these unclean ones   
  
Your mistress summons you   
  
Obey!"   
  
The waters reared like wild horse and the river roared like an enraged dragon. The orc archers shrieked as waves, thirty feet high, swept them from their branches and dashed them to pieces on the rocky shore. Nilia rose to her feet and surveyed the carnage she had wrought smugly.   
  
"There. That should teach you unholy monsters to mess with an Is-" She was cut off by a large Uruk smacking her over the back of her head with his shield.   
  
"And that'll teach you, maggot, not to underestimate the servants of the Red Eye." He then called over his shoulder. "Oi! Lads! Tie this one up and get ready to march south east. We've got to bring this she-wizard back to Mordor, sharpish, or the Dark Lady'll have all our heads!"   
  
So, Nilia had been tied up and carries hundreds and hundreds of leagues south and east of the river and now, a week after her kidnap, she was before the black gate itself. Despite the stench of orc, her eyes widened in horror. Mordor. Anywhere other than here.   
  
A horn sounded the orcs return with their prize and the gate opened, revealing a land choked with fire and ash. There was a gag covering Nilia's mouth, but had she been able to, she would have been screaming. There was no water here for her to bend to her will. She was helpless and totally alone.   
  
Nilia was thrown, without ceremony, into a cell, while her fate was decided. It was cold and damp and smelt worse than the orcs. From the sickly light that came in from a window that lead outside, she thought she could see bones in the far corners of the cell. Huddled up next to the door, slept fitfully and dreamt evil dreams.   
  
The next thing she knew, she was being kicked by an orc.   
  
"Wake up, you water maggot! You've got to come with me, sharpish. The Dark Lady wants a word with you." Nilia was then pulled to her feet and dragged down corridors to some sort of audience chamber. Dread crept over her as she believed she could put a name to this 'Dark Lady'.   
  
Nilia was dragged into the chamber and thrown to the floor. When she looked up, she saw, sitting on a throne at the other end of the chamber, an Elf woman. She was quite beautiful with long dark hair and porcelain skin. She was wearing a very ornate dress of red and gold and sat on her throne with an air of aristocratic boredom.   
  
But her eyes. No Elf had eyes such as these. Black and cold as two chips of marble they were, and unlike the eyes of the Elven folk, which shone with light, her eyes seemed to absorb light, to drag it into herself and crush it with her dark spirit.   
  
"Gorothiel!" The throned woman seemed to notice Nilia for the first time.   
  
"Why, Ciralon," she fluted, "or should that be Chanilia? That is what you're calling yourself these days, yes?" Nilia remained defiantly silent.   
  
"What's the matter?" Gorothiel asked innocently, "don't want to talk about the old times?"   
  
"What old times would those be?" Nilia snarled. "The wars of darkness when you betrayed us to Morgoth, imprisoned Silvawen and murdered Astald? Even now you betray us, as you sit there! What has Sauron promised you? That when Middle Earth is ruined you shall rule as his queen?" Gorothiel laughed.   
  
"Oh ho, don't be simple. Yes, I will rule at Sauron's side, but that was not what he promised. In return for my services, I shall have revenge."   
  
"Reve- Rath?!"   
  
"Oh yes, Lyncorath. Lyncorath the light which is veiled, Lyncorath the wanderer, Lyncorath the wise, Lyncorath the mighty, that is what they name her!" As Gorothiel spoke, the pitch of her voice rose and rose until it became quite apparent that she was in the grip of a towering rage. "Not so! Lyncorath the false-hearted, I name her! Lyncorath the proud, Lyncorath the selfish! Why should she have been so admired? Course and ill-tempered, but all loved her while I was always a step behind! No longer! I will quench her spirit, this I swear!" As she screamed, venting her spleen over Rath, Gorothiel rose from her thrown to pace back and forth, her hands spiked into claws and her face contorted into a grim mask of fury. Nilia drew back in fear as Gorothiel rounded on her.   
  
"I am going to utterly destroy her and you're going to help me. I've made sure that she knows where you've been taken and who by. She'll come for you, the fool that she is, and then-" she drew a finger across her neck, a malevolent grin on her face.   
  
"Lyncorath will come," Nilia growled, "but it is you who shall kneel as her axe swings high."   
  
"Oh, you think so? I have made a magic, a magic so great that not even Ilúvatar can undo it. Should either of us die by the other's hand, a great vortex shall open up and the spirit of the fallen one shall be pulled into the furthest reaches of the Void, where not even Ilúvatar the Great shall find them." Gorothiel spread wide her hands. "Sweet oblivion is the fate of our heroine."   
  
"Then it is your fate, fool!" shouted Nilia. "You cannot beat her!"   
  
"We will see," was Gorothiel's simple response. She went back to her throne. "As for you, Chanilia the Healer, for resisting the Lord Sauron, you shall be taken to Minas Morgul, the tower of sorcery and wraiths. There you shall be imprisoned indefinitely and guarded day and night as darkness covers the world, at which time you will be taken to Barad-dûr, whereupon you shall be hung till you are near death, then you shall have your intestines drawn out of your still living body and, finally, be quartered and your remains hung from the Black Gate as a warning to all who would defy the master of the world." Gorothiel lay back and closed her eyes. Then she commanded, lazily, "Guards, take her away."   
  
==================================  
  
GoT: Many thanks to Elfie for typing this up for me. Please review! (goes back to playing Jak and Daxter) Sequel soon, sequel soon, Jak II: Renagade, YIPEE!  
  
Brogan: (Rolls his eyes) 


	15. Appendix

Okay, technically speaking this isn't a chapter, it's more a Appendix (hey, they were at the end of the LotR book so why not on mine? In this I'm going to give you a brief description of my original characters just so you don't get confused. I'll even throw in the review responses (the more resent ones are at the bottom of the page). See, aren't I nice?  
  
~*~  
  
Okay, first my semi-original characters. Aka: the ones what live in Middle Earth.  
  
Lyncorath ~ (Meaning - Veiled Light) Lyncorath is the unofficial leader of the female Istari and the third most powerful out of all the Istari. She is currently guiding the hobbits to Rivendell with Strider. He current main aim is to rescue her fellow Istari, Chanilia, who is being held captive by Sauron. ~ Nicknames: Rath  
  
Silvawen ~ (Meaning - Forest Maid) Silvawen is a member of the order of the Istari and is in love with the prince of Mirkwood, Legolas. She is currently on her way to Rivendell for the Council of Elrond and knows nothing about the plight of her sisters. ~ Nicknames: Silva, Sil (jointly owned by Silvawen the Elf Crumpet)  
  
Chanilia ~ (Meaning - Healing Waterfall) A member of the Istari who specialises in healing. She has been captured by the Orcs of Sauron and taken to Mordor where she has been imprisoned and is awaiting exercution. ~ Nicknames: Nilia  
  
Arian ~ (Meaning - Silver Flame) A member of the Istari who lives in Rivendell. She is awaiting the return of her fellow female Istari for the Council. She is the only one of the group, apart from Rath, who knows about Nilia. She spends most of her time worrying about Arwen, who she thinks is to emotional for her own good.  
  
Isauriel ~ (Meaning - Gentle Air) The last female Istari. She lives with the eagles of the Misty Mountains and has little dealings with the people of Middle Earth. As such she is not aware that the One Ring has been found, or of any of the events connected to it. ~ Nicknames: Riel  
  
~*~  
  
Now for the truly original characters.  
  
Dragonissa ~ A weredragon who lives in Andomen, she is what the Dragons call 'the Gatekeeper'. She was chosen from birth to guard the Dragon Gate, the only entrance to the Dragon Dimension, and it is her job to make sure that no one untoward breaks through the gate. Dragonissa has just moved into her first home with her best friends and while working in the garden found a box with four rings in it. She is now suffering from odd dreams. The morning after she has her odd dream her boyfriend Peter came home from a weekend at a bike show. This was also the day when one of her friends were due back, Chrissie. However, she was contacted by someone who claims to be holding her prisoner. This person now wants Nissa to traverse the Pass of the Eternal Scream, whom no one else has been able to overcome. This couldn't come at a worse time for her, since she is starting to lose control of the more primal aspects of her nature, making her snapish and somewhat disorientated.~ Nicknames: Nissa, Nissie, Nis  
  
Blaise ~ A half Siren, half Imp, Blaise has the elemental power of earth as well as telekinesis and telepathy. An outrageous flirt, Blaise sees every male she spots as a potential target. She is also sometimes known as Elfie due to her obsession with elves. Like her house mate Nissa, she is having odd dreams after finding a box of rings in the back garden. ~ Nicknames: Elfie, B (owned by Silvawen the Elf Crumpet, used with full permission)  
  
Freja ~ Half Tenier Fire Elf, half werecat, Freja is now working as a vet. She is very much the sensible one of the group, sorting out other peoples problems, that sort of thing. However, she dose have some problem controlling her fire magic. She to is starting to have strange dreams.  
  
Orchid ~ No ones entirely sure what she is. A complete an utter idiot she merely gets through life by being stunningly beautiful. However, she is a very sweet and gentle person, which makes up for her lack of brain power. Blaise has come to the conclusion that she must have at least one cog turning in her head as she dose occasionally have semi-good ideas.  
  
Chrissie ~ The fifth female house mate, Chrissie is a flying elf with pink wings. A rather violent person Chrissie is non the less a good friend, so long as you don't call her a faerie. While on the way back from visiting her home world and her best friend Ebony she was kidnapped by an unknown person who seems to have something against Nissa. She has just met Rusva, a fellow captive of whoever it was who captured her.  
  
Peter ~ A werewolf and Nissa's boyfriend. Peter is a biker, a guitarist and a computer graphics designer. He is hopelessly in love with Nissa and would do anything to protect her.  
  
Simon ~ Blaise's long suffering boyfriend, Simon is a elf biker. He is slightly overprotective of B and he is also rather shy in a cute way.  
  
Ebony ~ Half faerie/ half pixie, Ebony is Chrissie's best friend and is rather like Blaise. She is currently enjoying her job on a sex line.  
  
Rusva ~ A prisioner like Chrissie, Rusva is more than he appears. He has the appearnec of an orc but he has magical abilities and seems to be educated. A melancoly character, he is trying to befriend Chrissie.  
  
~*~  
  
Review responses to all you lovely reviewers you.  
  
Updated for 7/9/2003  
  
Many thanks to my loyal readers and friends Chrissie and Silva (bows) I am not worthy of your friendship. ^__^ *raises one eyebrow* I think I'll ignore that little outburst, Sil, if it makes you feel better, Peter is sometimes discribed as Nissa's long suffering boyfriend.  
  
Kanna - (bows) I am to please.  
  
Enednilwen - (laughs) I'll have to keep an eye out for that book, it may come in useful. I knew some of the elvish I was using wasn't correct to Tolkien's but I theorised that in the hundreds of years between the Middle Earth and Andomen parts of the story the language would have changed. After all, we're not speaking the same 'language' as people in the middle ages, eh?  
  
(laughs again) And don't worry about any unexpected visitors, I've warned the Witch King off. (glares at the sullen wraith who is swathed in bandages)  
  
Mojo - *grins* A short review is better then no review mate.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Updated for 8/7/2003  
  
Mojo - Heya, you're still evil for getting Dom's autograph! *grins*  
  
Chrissie - Glad you liked it. *laughs* Oh-ho, life is imitating art so it seems. ^_^  
  
Enednilwen - A new face, pleased to meet you. Yes I do get my elvish from the Grey Company, damn useful place, really. Thanks for the compliment (^_^) and you'll learn that I am very unordinary. *laughs*   
  
By the way, you're reviewer number 50, well done, you get a prize *hands over to Enednilwen the sword of the Witch King* The reviewer who gets number 100 gets their own flying wraith steed!  
  
++++  
  
Updated for 17/3/2003  
  
Vladimirsangel - Hey, nice to see a familiar face from LoK Land. I'm fine, thanks for asking, hows yourself. Thanks for the Malteaser (grins)  
  
Chrissie - You've got an account, go you, hoped you liked the latest chapter, you starred in it after all.  
  
++++  
  
Silva - Well, anything you'll have said we will already have discussed. And again major thanks for typing the chapter up. ^_^  
  
Mojo - You got there autographs? I hate you! I guess you would've got the extended DVD by now. You like the appendix and the latest chapter then? Yes poor Chrissie and that would be telling, wouldn't it (lool)  
  
Chrissie - Nilia wasn't it this chap sorry, but you were, is that okay? Hope you like your character.  
  
Moonygirl13 - Not insane? I'll have to work harder. Thanks for the review, I like the fact that you mentioned the stuff you liked, that way I can elaborate on it. Thanks again.  
  
Violet eyes - Another Elfie fan, pleased to meet you. Awww, thanks for the review, I like getting reviews. I'm afraid the site is currently down while I move it to a new server (since geocities kept messing me about) when the new site is up and running you lot will be the first to know 


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